Today
by Fox Scarlen
Summary: A collection of short stories centering on the friendship between Deryn and Alek.
1. Today

"So this is just a random little one-shot I decided to do. I recently read both books for the first time, and I just completely fell in love with them. Such great books! The story's set in an unknown time after Behemoth, and I just wanted to write a sort of feel good little piece. I didn't want to mess with a big long series, as I'm already writing two others, and I didn't want to mess with a romance, either. So I just decided to do a friendship fic, just a harmless little bit of fluff for you all to read. I hope you enjoy!"

Alright, so that was my original intro. But now, I have decided to turn this into a series of friendship one-shots between Deryn and Alek. I hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: I am not Scott Westerfeld. If I was, would I really be writing a fanfic about my own series?...Though if I were an author, I would so do that. xP

Today

"_The past is history, the future is a mystery, and today's a gift. That's why they call it the present." _

_~Anonymous_

"Barking spiders, it's a bit bloody early in the morning for this, isn't it Alek?" Deryn whined as the young archduke dragged his friend up to the top of the _Leviathan_.

"Your fencing will never improve if we don't work on it," he replied.

Muttering under her breath, Deryn said, "Aye, but I don't give a squick for improving it."

Alek halted and placed his saber lightly on Deryn's nose. "That is not the attitude of a true soldier."

Deryn raised her hands in defeat, and Alek lifted his sword away from her, before continuing up through the ship to get to the top. Sighing, Deryn shuffled after him. "A true soldier doesn't need a bloody saber," she muttered softly as she followed him.

At last, they reached the top of the ship. "On guard," Alek commanded, falling into the silly stance he insisted on using for fencing.

Groaning, Deryn fell into a sloppy stance of her own. With a frown, Alek marched over and straightened her shoulders and back, then bent down and repositioned her feet. As Alek touched her, Deryn felt her body go all tingly in the places he'd touched, and she said, "I get it. Can we just get the barking lesson over with?"

"Very well," Alek said, positioning himself once more for the fight. Deryn matched his stance and swung her saber up as he brought his down. The two swords clashed for a brief moment, before the two friends pulled apart.

All it took was a mere few seconds for Alek to disarm Deryn and point his saber at her face. "I win."

Rolling her eyes, Deryn picked up her sword, then stared at it in her hands. The thing was bloody useless.

After a few more bouts, of which Alek won all, the two headed back down to their respective cabins. "You know, with loads more practice, we might make a swordsman of you yet."

"Aye, and you're cracked in the attic if you think I'll ever be a squick as good as you are," Deryn replied. "Plus, what's the use of it?"

Alek replied readily, "Fencing can save your life."

Deryn snorted. "Aye. Fencing sure would have come in handy when I rode a metal elephant's trunk to toss a bagful of spices in a Clanker's face. Did I ever tell you about that?"

Alek grinned ruefully. "You might have mentioned it once…or twice…or ten times…"

Laughing, Deryn thumped him on the back. "Come on, then. Race you back to the rooms."

…

As Alek lay in bed, hands crossed over his chest, he thought of Dylan. The boy was the best friend anyway could ever have, and he was a better boy than Alek would ever be. The archduke respected Dylan immensely. Sure, he could beat the Darwinist boy at fencing, but he was topped at almost everything else.

He grinned as he thought of talking again with Dylan for the supper meal. Even a few hours apart seemed to tear something a bit inside of him, and thinking of seeing Dylan again made his heart beat a little faster.

But of course it would. Why? Because danger always seemed to accompany the middy, and adventure and a 'barking' good time. Rolling out of bed, Alek smiled as he thought of his good friend Dylan.

…

Deryn doodled aimlessly on her sketchpad, her feet in the air and stomach on the floor, propping her head up on her elbows.

Though she didn't like fencing (the whole thing was daft), she'd enjoyed spending time with Alek. She always enjoyed spending time with Alek. Because right now, though he saw a masquerade, he also saw who she really was. Sure, he didn't know she was a girl, but this life, being a midshipman…this was Deryn Sharp. Not some boffin like Dr. Barlow, or some fancy lady in skirts and petticoats and jewelry, but here, up in the air, working aboard the _Leviathan_ and serving in the war. This was where she belonged. Alek was who she belonged with.

A knock on her door interrupted her reverie, and she jumped up to answer, grinning widely when she saw Alek on the other end. "Ready for supper?" he asked.

"As always!" Deryn answered, locking the door behind her and walking beside Alek.

Bovril, sitting upon the young archduke's shoulder, uttered, "_Mr._ Sharp."

"Shut it," she told the loris, who almost seemed to shrug and fall silent, before adding another, "_Mr._ Sharp."

"Blisters," Deryn muttered under her breath, clenching a fist.

A smile twitched at Alek's face, before he simply burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" Deryn asked in mock indignation.

"Haha, nothing," he said, eyes twinkling. "I just love your expressions at Bovril." Deryn gave Alek the same face she'd just given Bovril a minute ago, and he laughed again. "Don't look so mad! Here now, let's get a move on to supper, before Newkirk eats everything!"

Deryn spluttered as she pictured a fat Newkirk stuffing all available food into his mouth, then grabbed Alek's hand and tugged, starting a steady jog towards the mess.

Laughing, the two ran off. Though each often wondered about what the future held, for the moment, all that mattered was that they live in today , that they forget about dangers and duties, that they had each other, and that the two of them were the best friends in the whole world.

…

"Well, I hope you enjoyed! Can't wait for Goliath next year, and thanks for reading!"

Once again, my original closer. But now, I shall say, see you in chapter two!


	2. Forever Young

I have to admit, I wasn't planning on continuing this. I just meant to do a one-shot, but I decided, how about a series of short little one-shots instead, drabbles, if you will, revolving around our two favorite protagonists?

Here goes!

Forever Young

"_We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."_

_~George Bernard Shaw_

"Not now, Dylan, I'm busy," Alek murmured, pouring over the maps laid out on his table. Peeking over his shoulder, Dylan scoured them with his own eyes.

"Busy with what?" he asked.

Alek sighed. "I'm busy. Normally people leave me alone when I say that."

Dylan shrugged. "Aye, because you're a barking prince. But I'm your friend. It's my job to bug you."

Alek hung his head, fervently wishing that Dylan hadn't come. Now really wasn't a good time. "You want to know?" he asked.

Dylan gave him a look as if he had, as Dylan would put it, gone 'daft'.

"Of course," Alek muttered, then gestured with his hand to encompass the many maps on his desk. "I'm studying these maps."

Dylan blinked. When Alek didn't say anymore, the Darwinist boy tilted his head to the side. "Aye…because?"

"Because I want to get a better understanding of the war. I'm trying to figure out where the various troops of both armies are positioned from known intelligence as well as educated guesses. Care to help me?"

Dylan pursed his lips, then snatched one of the maps off the table. "Hey!" Alek protested, and tried to take it back, but the middy shoved him away.

He began to walk around the room, holding the map out in front of him and appearing to study it thoroughly. Alek interrupted his scrutinizing by taking a hold of a corner of the map. Tugging, he commanded, "Give it back."

Dylan tugged back, taking it out of Alek's grasp. Walking to the other side of the room, he turned to face Alek and stuck out his tongue. "Make me."

"Why you-" Alek lunged at Dylan, who easily danced out of reach.

"Gonna have to do better than that!" the Darwinist called, clutching the map tightly with both hands.

Instead of lunging again, Alek walked steadily nearer, and the two boys began to circle each other warily, Alek staring at the map, and Dylan keeping a close eye on Alek's hands.

One quick lunge and he could grab it, or so Alek thought. He sprang for the map, only to have Dylan evade him yet again. Twisting, he rapidly spun and reached out for the map, grabbing Dylan instead.

The map went flying from Dylan's hands as Alek tackled him to the ground. Laughing, Dylan struggled to push Alek off, only to find that Alek had pinned him to the floor. With much shoving, Dylan managed to knock him off, but came at him again.

Soon, the two were in a full-blown wrestling match, pitted against each other. Sometimes one would gain the upper hand, but lose it to his opponent. And on and on the match went.

Hands clasped together, the two pushed with their arms, rolling around the floor of Alek's cabin, locked in battle.

Finally, they broke apart, panting and laughing at the fun they'd just had.

Getting up, Dylan dusted himself. "There we go. Knock the old man out of you?"

Alek stood up as well and gave his friend a very confused look.

Dylan explained, "You were acting like a stuffy old geezer, locked up here with your maps and stuff. Did I knock it out of you?"

Alek nodded, grinning widely, eyes still wide in exhilaration at the fun he'd had. "I guess you did," he said.

Dylan nodded approvingly. "Good. Now you can get back to work. Next time you start feeling wrinkles coming on, call me in for another wrestling match."

Shaking his head, Alek chuckled as his friend waved and exited the cabin. Sitting down, Alek rubbed his hand through his now tousled hair and smiled to himself. Dylan was right. He had gotten too caught up in his work.

Having a little bit of time for the two of them just to play together and wrestle as boys do was exactly what he needed.

At a thought, Alek smiled wider. With Dylan around to 'knock the old man out of him', it seemed like he'd be forever young.

…

Now to reply to the reviews for the first chapter.

GECOgally: Haha, thanks so much! Plus, you're my first reviewer for this story, so virtual brownies for you. ;D Anyways, I actually hadn't been planning on continuing this. It was really just meant to be a one-shot. But I've seen one-shot series in other sections that people seemed to like, so you inspired me to do one of my own. ;D

Holly Marie Fowl: Hey, thanks! I meant for it to be like that. It sort of implies that in the future, there may e some romance, but for the present, the two are just good friends, as it should be. Glad you like it! ;)

Ailat: Awww! Thanks! Much love to you as well! :)

Akward Turtle: Thank you! Yes, I specifically wanted it to be sort of romance-less. I support the pairing, but I feel like romance between them would be a ways off in the future. I just want to write a series now of some good friendship moments between the two. I'm glad you think it's plausible, and I'm glad you liked it!


	3. Light

Here's chapter three! I hope you all like it!

Light

"_Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light." _

_~Norman B. Rice_

The wind whistled and howled around the _Leviathan_. The great airship itself seemed to tighten with tension as lightning crackled only a couple miles away.

Inside her cabin, Deryn couldn't sleep. Just the thought that lightning might strike at any moment woke up a deep fear inside of her. As long as it didn't hit the ship, they'd been fine. It wasn't like the great whale was leaking hydrogen like it had been that time she and Alek had first met. They'd be fine.

But no matter many times she told herself that, she could still feel her skin prickle in fear. The ship could burst into flames, like Da's balloon. Except this time, she'd be on it, with everyone else. Newkirk, Dr. Barlow, Count Volger, Captain Hobbes, all people she knew, if not exactly got along with. Tazza and Bovril, and the bats and the great whale _Leviathan_ itself, would all be subject to a flaming death if the lightning were to strike the poor beast.

And Alek. He'd never get a chance to become the archduke of his country if the ship blew up.

Deryn's eyes were wide open as she lay awake in her bed. The blackness around her began to envelope her body, choking her, smothering her in ebony throes.

She sat up and swung her arms about wildly, then jerked her head towards the porthole at yet another flash of light. Was it farther away? Or was it just a trick, and in reality it was really really close?

"Stop being such a ninny," she whispered to herself. But no matter how hard she shut her eyes, she couldn't get rid of the image of her da's burning balloon, and the bursts of light outside.

Giving up, she threw off her sheets and clambered swiftly out of bed, checking to make sure that her nightclothes hid her chest, and laced up her boots. She speedily left the room and began to wander about the ship.

Everything was dark around Deryn as she wandered through the different corridors of the great ship, not pausing to actually think about where she was going. It didn't matter. As long as she got out of her room.

Still, the walk wasn't as distracting as she thought it would be. Soon, dark thoughts began to creep into her head once more, and she shook herself, trying to rid herself of them.

Deryn had faced countless threats before. So, it was one little storm. It was okay. The captain would steer them through this. The _Leviathan _had made it through storms before. Maybe not as bad, but still.

Passing an open seating area by a large porthole, she stopped as she saw a light. Not the soft luminescence of the glowworms either.

Running over, she stared at Alek seated cross-legged on the floor, watching the storm with a Clanker lantern by his side, an actual flame inside a glass container.

"Have you gone cracked?" she hissed.

Alek jumped, startled. Turning around, he relaxed when he saw her. "What do you mean?" he asked courteously.

"_That,_" she spat vehemently, pointing at the flame.

Alek waved off her comment. "It's just a lantern."

"Aye, a _Clanker _one. And if it fell over? It'd blow the barking ship up!" Deryn exclaimed, thought still keeping her voice down a little. She began to shake. First the lightning, now this? The ship was in too much danger!

They would burst into flames just like her da.

"Are you okay?" Alek asked, concerned, noticing the frightened look on her face. Deryn said nothing. The archduke studied her, then realized with a jolt why she was scared.

He held out his hand, and looked from it to her, telling her to take it. Deryn looked at him, then backed off slowly, shaking her head, eyes wide.

Alek got up and held out his hand again. "Trust me," he whispered.

Deryn still wasn't sure what to do. The whole thing was barking daft. Alek was mad. Mad as a hatter, mad as a hare. He had gone completely off his rocker. There was no way she was going to take his hand, and go along with whatever daft idea he'd come up with.

He stared her in the eyes. "Trust me."

Her arm slowly stretched out. Deryn glared at the traitorous limb, but it kept moving, until her hand was in his.

Alek gently pulled her along, from the darkness to the lantern. Slowly, he pressed her palm against the glass, though she flinched and fought it. Once she felt the glass, however, a tension seemed to release from her.

"See?" Alek said. "The glass is hard. Safe. The flame can't get out. It can't hurt us, or the _Leviathan_." He looked out the porthole, to the sky, which, though still dark, seemed to be lightening up a bit. A crackle of light flashed in the sky, but farther away. "The lightning can't hurt us either. It's gone, and the _Leviathan's_ safe. Both flames will soon be gone." He gestured to the sky, and indeed, lightning failed to show up.

Deryn stayed silent for a minute, staring out at the swollen clouds, but they remained black. Wind still pitched the _Leviathan_, but the lightning was gone. She looked at the lantern.

Alek opened up the hatch, and Deryn immediately cried, "No! Are you _daft_?" She reached out to snatch it away, but he simply blew, and his breath snuffed out the candle.

He held the extinguished lantern towards her. "There. The flame's gone. Feel better?"

Deryn smiled sheepishly. "A lot, thanks."

A moment of silence stretched in between them, until Alek broke it with the words, "You were worried the _Leviathan_ would share the same fate as your dad, weren't you?"

Deryn stared at him, shocked. Slowly, she nodded her head, biting her lip and fighting back tears. She was a boy, not some ninny girl. Why would she cry for something like this? Yes, she was scared. She had a right to be. But there was no way she would cry in front of Alek.

And she didn't.

Maybe it was because she was dead scared of the embarrassment it would cause.

Or maybe it was because Alek had placed his arm around her shoulders and gave her a sort of one-armed hug. Together they sat there, Alek holding her gently as the shattered feeling slowly seeped from her.

"Are you okay now?" Alek asked as the sky outside began to turn a blurry light gray.

Deryn pulled away and punched Alek lightly. "Are you a _Dummkopf_? Who said I was feeling bad?" Standing up and brushing herself off indignantly, she offered her hand to a chuckling Alek.

As the two walked back to their rooms, Deryn whispered a soft, "Thanks."

…

By the way, I hope none of you thought this made Deryn seem weak. I just think that she would be unusually scared because of what happened with her dad.

Also, on another note, a lot of you may take this in a romantic way, but if you think of them instead as two boys (straight ones), this would definitely be seen as a comforting scene between two friends, and that's the way I meant it. If you'd like to think of this as a romantic scene, by all means, go ahead, but its intention, as all my chapters will be, was centered on that sort of friendship you have with one person where you can let them know all your weaknesses because you trust them so much.

Call me Mad AKA Ninja Fish: To start off with, awesome username. Really. ;P And to actually reply to your review, thanks! I figure there are enough of romance fanfics, and while exposing Deryn's secret would be fun, I feel that's best left to next year at the release of Goliath. Plus, writing real romance scares me half to death, and sends the other half of me hurling in a distant corner. I can barely read it. I guess you can say I'm aiming for cute, as that seems to be the general thought. Cute friendship all the way!

Holly Marie Fowl: …*pales* *runs off to tweak wording* *runs back* Better? Darn, I hadn't realized that when writing it. Considering I am in high school with a bunch of dirty minded classmates as well, you'd think I'd have noticed that. *facepalm* Anyways, I'm glad you like the chapter! …And darn it, now I have that song stuck in my head…I've only heard it a couple times, but didn't think about it as I named the chapter…eh.

Akward Turtle: Thank you! I'm glad you think I'm keeping the two in character, and that I'm also keeping their relationship-in character?-as well.

Ailat: That's neat, so it's a signature. I like it! Now now, don't be calling Alek a weakling. I never actually said any won, they just sort of stopped. And Deryn did have to struggle a bit before knocking Alek off of her. I'd guess that they'd be more or less equally matched. I didn't mean to have Alek seem weak or anything. And haha, well, Deryn and Alek are friends, and from what I've gathered from books, brothers and such might wrestle with each other (as a fight or for fun) and so I know Deryn's a girl and all, but in that moment, just assume she forgot the fact of the genders and just wrestled (yeesh, I'm scared to use any other word for fear of misinterpretation) with Alek as a friend. By the way, I can completely picture the French thing. I have a friend who does that sometimes too. ;D

…Wow…my responses to reviews are longer than the actual reviews themselves…That's just sad…I'm such a rambler…

See you all in chapter four!


	4. Dreams

Alrighty then! Here's chapter four!

Dreams

_"I have had dreams, and I have had nightmares. I overcame the nightmares because of my dreams."_

_~Dr. Jonas Salk_

Music played and weaved itself among the dancers filling the great hall, its source a small orchestra of talented musicians. Alek straightened his uncomfortable dress shirt and walked out onto the floor. His black loafers tapped gently on the tile as he threaded his way through the crowd, looking for at least one familiar face.

He halted suddenly as his father and mother twirled past him, caught up in the dance. Alek turned and raced towards them. "Mother, Father, you're alive! I knew they were lying, I just knew it!" He reached out his hand to touch his mother's shoulder, but his parents faded, a smile still bright on Sophie's face as Franz Ferdinand spun her across the floor.

Alek stared at the spot they'd been just a moment ago, then went back to searching for other familiar faces. He saw Count Volger and…Dr. Barlow? That simply didn't make any sense. And at the foot of those two, Bovril and the other loris were dancing as well.

"Mr. Sharp."

"_Mr. _Sharp."

It seemed like Bovril was still trying to get it to learn the correct pronunciation. But hadn't the other loris learned it already?

Alek shook his head. Speaking of Mr. Sharp, where was Dylan on this dance floor?

At last, he spotted a head of blond hair amid the dancers, and he shoved his way through them. "Dylan!" he exclaimed, then broke into a smile as he saw that Dylan's dance partner was Lilit.

The two looked quite happy together. Dylan seemed older, maybe twenty or so, and Lilit was older as well. "Alek! You'll never believe what happened!" Lilit said, her voice barely containing her excitement.

"What is-" Alek started to say, but Dylan cut him off.

"We're getting barking married!" He positively beamed.

Alek's jaw dropped. Dylan had proposed? Well, this…this was great news! He should say so. And he did. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks! Dylan, sweetheart, tell him our plans!" Lilit practically cooed at him. Alek could've sworn she was less girly than that.

The Darwinist boy-man?-gushed, "I'm taking Lilit back to England with me! We're going to get a proper wedding, and then I'll buy us a nice place on the countryside! You can come visit us some time!"

Alek blinked. "Wait….you're leaving?"

Dylan nodded. "Aye. You've got a barking country to run, and I'm dead certain you can't just leave that particular job behind."

The archduke was stunned. "But what about flying?" Flying was his friend's life. There was no way he would just give it up like that.

Dylan shrugged. "I've got Lilit now. What more do I need?" He pecked her on the lips, and she smiled and whirled off with him into the thick of the dancers.

Alek fell against a wall, glancing up at the ceiling. This couldn't be happening. This just couldn't be happening. Yes, he did have a country to run. But…without Dylan? For some reason, he'd always pictured Dylan at his side, ready to help at a moment's notice. Sure, he had a whole platoon of servants at his beck and call, as well as Count Volger for advice, but they weren't his friends. Not really.

Not like Dylan was.

Making up his mind, Alek brushed aside dancers as he dashed through them towards his friend. "Dylan!" he shouted, spotting the Darwinist with Lilit a few yards away. "Dylan!" he called again, only to have them recede in front of his eyes.

The whole ballroom began to spin around him. What was going on? Dylan was leaving him! No! He needed his best friend by his side, at least for the first few years as emperor! "Come back!" he cried out futilely, but Dylan had disappeared.

Forever? Dylan had gone forever from his life? No, no, that couldn't be right! Dylan would always be there! He'd said he'd always be by Alek's side, supporting him!

His nose began to itch like crazy, and the world around him began to fade. He brought his hand up to scratch his nose-

And found himself with a face full of shaving cream. Bolting upright in bed, Alek swung his head around, trying to find whoever had committed the crime.

He leaped out of bed and rushed to the open doorway to hear the receding echoes of footsteps and familiar laughter float down the corridor.

Going to the bathroom, he washed the shaving cream off his face and took a few deep breaths, before he found himself chuckling to the mirror.

It was a dream. The whole thing with Dylan leaving him behind was a dream.

Shaking the last of the lather off his hand and into the sink, Alek shut his door and climbed back into bed.

The nightmare was over.

Dylan was back to normal, the right age, and by Alek's side, where he belonged.

Even if the Darwinist boy did have the annoying habit of tickling Alek on the nose while he was asleep so he'd splash his face with a giant glob of shaving cream.

…

Alrighty then, there's chapter four done with! How'd you like it?

By the way, I'm not completely sure how Deryn came to learn how to pick locks. I blame Jaspert.

nagato chinatsu: Haha, really?

Holly Marie Fowl: Phew, glad it's better, then. ;D

Eidorian999: Thanks! When I wrote it, I didn't think it made her seem weak, but I wasn't sure how other people would see it. Glad you saw it the way I meant it. And thanks for the tip on the balloon! That completely slipped my mind when I wrote the chapter. I'll be sure to fix that. ;D

Music Antoinette: Isn't he? :)

Ailat: Haha, well, that's good. And now I can't help but wonder about you poking fun at gorgeous real boys. ;P Ah, yes, that's exactly it! All 'brothers-in-arms' type. That's a great way to describe it! Haha, I never actually thought about what Deryn was thinking later. I'll leave that up to your imagination. I'm glad you loved it! ;D

See you in chapter five!


	5. Braggarts and Boasters

Alrighty then! I've got the next chapter up for you all, so here you go! Now, I have an OC in this chapter, but don't worry…he's not a –Gary Stu?- in the slightest. In fact, he's rather a…well, let's just say he's not likeable. If only Deryn didn't mess with such trivial things as safety lines.

Braggarts and Boasters

________

"_Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example."_

~Mark Twain

"You two-hurry it up! I haven't got all day." Mr. Oliver Kile was in a fairly irritable mood.

Deryn glanced down the flank of the _Leviathan_ to see Alek struggling way down below. She had to face it, she couldn't wait any longer for him to catch up. She turned her face back upwards and continued scaling the rigging up towards Mr. Kile.

"You dawdlers! I said hurry it up!" Deryn frowned as she crested the whale and stood up on the spine. She glared at Mr. Kile when his back was turned.

He was only a few years older than she was. Ha, the bum-rag didn't even have a fancy mustache the like of which were common among the older crew members.

No, Mr. Kile was substituting for Mr. Rigby, who had taken a blow to the head in an accident involving a swinging ratline, a message lizard, and a flying watch. Mr. Kile did not appreciate 'babysitting' two 'children'. The only reason Newkirk wasn't there with them was because he'd been assigned Tazza-walking duty.

"You're a sod!" Mr. Kile shouted down to Alek, who was struggling to grasp onto the ropes, making sure to clip his hook on as he steadily climbed. Unlike Deryn, he was in no way comfortable to climb free, without a harness. He was plenty ready to leave that to the Darwinists. "A lazy, no-good, Clanker sod! Move it or I'll cut the ropes!"

Alek jerked his head upwards in alarm, and Mr. Kile gave him a cruel smile back. Deryn, standing behind him, pantomimed dropping a large heavy object on his head. Alek laughed. Mr. Kile glared. "What's so funny, Clanker boy?" Alek looked away and focused once more on climbing. "Yeah, thought so."

Deryn seriously wanted to whack Mr. Kile upside the head. He was being dead annoying, and cruel. She'd never really had any dealings with him before, but now she was glad she hadn't. Of course, she'd heard the crew saying bad enough things about him, but she'd had the good fortune not to have to actually talk with him.

Bum-rag.

At last, Alek joined her at the top of the _Leviathan_, standing by her side. The reason he was here with her was because the captain had decided that if he was going to be staying on the _Leviathan_ for quite some time, he should learn some useful things, so maybe they could use him as an extra pair of hands to help around the ship.

Alek was not cut out for this, though. He may be 'in love' with the _Leviathan_, but he certainly lacked a true air sense. He managed to get through the various exercises, but it was obvious he was never going to be a real airman.

If only Mr. Kile were a wee bit nicer.

"That was pathetic," Mr. Kile said, twirling a strand of his black hair around a finger. Alek hung his head in shame, and Deryn gave him a sympathetic look. "The both of you." Deryn's head snapped up.

"Pardon me, sir?" she asked, not sure she'd heard.

Mr. Kile smirked. "You heard me. The both of you were pathetic." Deryn's hand clenched into a fist. Unaware, Mr. Kile continued on. "You see, I always managed to scale the rigging in half that time. Ha, when I was a middy, things were very different. I know, it wasn't that long ago, but a lot has changed greatly. It used to be that you couldn't just come flying up in a Huxley and expect to get a job onboard, or expect to be treated nicely as a prisoner. Ha, I've got so many stories of my successes, such as the time I rescued the stray Huxley. It started with-"

On and on and on. Deryn rolled her eyes at Alek as Mr. Kile continued on boasting of his tale. If you asked her, he was full of clart…Oh, and so were his stories.

A slow grin spread across Deryn's face as an idea hit her. She began to circle inconspicuously around Mr. Kile, and, very surreptitiously, clipped a safety rope to his belt. That way, if he fell off, he'd be caught by the harness around his waist.

Mr. Kile hadn't noticed a thing as Deryn stood back next to Alek. The archduke gave her a confused look, but she just winked in return. Glancing down at the rigging, she pointed at a certain rope. "Mr. Kile?" she asked.

"What?" he snapped.

"Sir, I think one of those ropes is frayed," Deryn reported innocently.

Coming to stand next to her, Mr. Kile peered over the edge. "Which one?" he asked. "I don't see anything."

Deryn leaned across him and pointed in a random direction. "That one, there." By leaning over, she'd also placed a foot in front of Mr. Kile's.

As she'd hoped, he took a step forward to look closer. Except for the fact that he hadn't guessed Deryn's foot was there.

With a shout, Mr. Kile tripped and fell over the edge. Several yards down, he managed to grab a hold of a ratline, but really, he wasn't in any danger thanks to being secured to his harness.

"Sorry, sir!" Deryn yelled. "I'll go get help!"

Grabbing Alek, she tugged him away from the swearing airman. Once they were inside the _Leviathan_, the two burst out laughing.

"That was brilliant!" Alek complimented, grinning from ear to ear.

Deryn flashed him a smile. "Aye, it was barking clever, wasn't it? Certainly gave that sod a fright. Bet it knocked those clart-filled stories of his out of his head. Ha, not such a clever-boots anymore, is he?"

Alek shook his head, still chortling in mirth.

They grabbed the nearest crewman and pointed him towards where Mr. Kile would be.

…

"This _boy_ shoved me over the edge!" Mr. Kile spat, stomping the floor in rage as he complained to Captain Hobbes.

Folding his arms, the captain raised an eyebrow at Deryn. "Is this true, Mr. Sharp?"

Deryn shook her head and gave the captain an innocent look. "No sir. He tripped and fell."

"I did no such thing! You little-"

"That's enough, Mr. Kile," the captain interjected. "Mr. Kile, you are dismissed. Alek, Mr. Sharp, stay here. I want a private word with you two."

Mr. Kile, grumbling, left the room, while the two friends stood in front of the captain. "Midshipman Sharp. I want the truth."

Deryn paused for a moment, then answered, "Well, technically it was my foot he tripped over sir. But he knew it was there."

The captain sighed. Glancing at Alek, he asked, "I take it you are blameless?"

Alek nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm only here as witness."

The captain flapped a hand. "I don't need your eyewitness account. You'll only confirm what Mr. Sharp here says. Now, Mr. Sharp, you are a decorated soldier, so I'll overlook this just once. Try to see it doesn't happen again." He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Of course, sir," Deryn replied.

As Deryn and Alek turned to leave, the captain added, "If it helps, I've been planning for quite a while to drop him off next time we reach England. You may go now."

Struggling to suppress a smile, Deryn opened the door and left with Alek.

Once the two were in the hallway, they grinned at each other, and didn't say a word.

A high-five was sufficient.

…

So there's chapter five! I hope you all liked it!

Music Antoinette: Indeed, a classic. ;D And I'm glad you like the friendship angle. :)

nagato chinatsu: Au contraire, dear reviewer, for shaving cream was invented in the early 1900s. To even quote the books: '"Do you always draw while shaving?" Deryn glanced at her straight razor in its mug, remembering that half her face was covered in lather.' But I do agree with your description of the 1900s. ;D

Holly Marie Fowl: I'm glad! ;)

Rue-the-Marauder: Thanks! Haha, yes, silly boy indeed. ;P

Nerdy Saxophonist: Haha, really? Well, I hope it came out of your hair all right. ;P Anyways, thanks! And on a side note, I happen to be a nerdy saxophonist as well (okay, sax is my second instrument, but that still counts for something, right?) ;D

Ailat: Oh, yes, of course I know. ;P Unevas (anyways with a German/Austrian accent?), thank you so much! I'm glad you liked the writing, and that you could picture it clearly. ;D And yes, you did still spell something wrong (despair) but don't worry about it. I've had those days before, and they annoy the barking spiders out of me. ;P


	6. Equality

Here's chapter six! I hope you all enjoy!

Equality

_"All people are created equal."_

_~Thomas Jefferson _

_Modified quote._

"Can you believe this?" Alek said, tapping the radio. Dylan looked up from his sketchbook and tilted his head. He obviously hadn't been paying attention. Alek explained. "The women in your country are really pressing for the rights to vote. Silly, isn't it?"

Dylan gave him a hard look. "Aye, but why's it so barking silly?"

Alek blinked. "Because they're women. We can hardly trust them with the vote. Who knows what they'd do. Best to leave that stuff to the sensible men, right?"

Snorting, Dylan returned to sketching, though his movements seemed to be jerkier than they were before.

Alek stared at his friend. What had he said wrong? Wait…no way. Dylan couldn't possibly be…but then again, he hadn't seemed all that surprised around Lilit…no way. No way. He couldn't be. "You're not one of those suffragettes are you?" Alek asked, gazing at his friend in concern.

The Darwinist jerked his head up in surprise. He frowned. "Can men even join them?"

"You're not one…but you want to be?" Alek was confused now.

Dylan sighed, setting down his pencil. "Listen, Alek. What's wrong with allowing women to vote?"

The archduke stuttered, "W-well, they're women! They hardly know enough to be allowed to vote. Plus, men do all the hard work in the world."

He stopped at Dylan's harsh look. Why did the middy seem so mad? "Aye, go on," Dylan growled, his teeth grinding.

Alek cleared his throat nervously and continued. "Well, men do all the hard labor. We fight in the wars, we run the government, and to be frank, you've got to admit we're a lot smarter, right, Dylan?" Dylan said nothing. "Oh come on! Us guys are way superior than those silly girls. Their place is at home, taking care of the children, the house, and the meals. Without us, they could hardly protect themselves."

"What about Lilit?"

Alek hadn't been expecting the question. "Lilit's an exception."

Dylan said, "She's barking tough. I highly doubt she'd ever sit by and let men rule her every move."

Alek was very puzzled now. Dylan must be a suffragette, because he seemed to be furious. The archduke hadn't realized his friend was so for women's rights. "But…Lilit isn't Western European. She's from Const-Istanbul. They have different lifestyles there, obviously. But English women are docile. They at least should stay at home. Don't you agree?"

Dylan slammed his fists on his sketchbook, flipped it closed, got up, and stalked out the door, head held high. Alek stared after him.

Groaning, he let his head fall into his hands. Great. Just great. He'd insulted Dylan. He was such an idiot! If only he'd kept his mouth closed right at the start, when he realized Dylan was a suffragette.

Leaning back in his chair, Alek thought long and hard. How could he make it up to Dylan for his stupid mistake?

Grabbing a pencil, he grabbed a sheet of paper and began to write out a list of items upon it. Maybe this could make up for his mistake.

The list was hard to write, but as he wrote it, it opened up his eyes a bit. Maybe Dylan was a bit right in supporting women's voting rights.

Finishing the list, Alek got up and left his room.

He was walking to Dylan's room when he banged right into the middy. "Barking spiders, watch where you're going!" the Darwinist moaned, clutching his face with his left hand, a piece of paper in his right. He focused his eyes on Alek, and they widened as he realized who he'd run into.

Taking his paper, he thrust it at Alek. "Here," he said. "I want to apologize for blowing up at you earlier. I was being daft. Maybe this'll make up for it?"

Surprised, Alek took the paper. It was a rough sketch of him and Dylan, standing tall and proud on the spine of the Leviathan. He looked from the paper to Dylan.

The Darwinist explained, "It's us, two boys, defying the world. I may have defended women earlier, and that may have offended you. But here. This shows all the adventure the girls back at home are missing. Stuff that only we get to do, if you don't count Dr. Barlow. See?"

Alek smiled, then handed his paper to Dylan. "What's this?" the middy asked.

The archduke answered, "It's a list of things women can do as well as men. You made me realize that I was being a bit unfair."

Dylan grinned as he read through the list. "Aye, you did a pretty thorough job here. But you're missing one thing."

Alek frowned. "What?"

Laughing, Dylan said, "They're as good as we are at making lives miserable." A smile tugged at Alek's mouth. Dylan continued, "After all, what is the purpose of people except to ruin each other's lives?"

"I guess that's quite right too. But you don't make me miserable," Alek said.

Dylan raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Shame. I guess I need to up my pranks."

Alek put up his hands in defense. "Never mind, my life's perfectly miserable!"

"That's what I thought," Dylan said, turning and heading back to his room. He pointed to his drawing. "You can keep that, since I'm keeping yours."

Dylan rounded the corner and disappeared.

Alek was left standing in the hallway, holding the picture of him and Dylan standing together. He walked back to his room.

Once he entered, he gently tucked the drawing amidst his most important maps and turned the radio on again.

…

A bit of an equality fic, though I really just wanted to have them have a little fight, and see how they made up. In the end, each profits. As a bit of extra info, Deryn keeps the list as well. After drawing a picture of Alek on the margins of it, she tucked it into her sketchbook.

On another note, I may not be able to post any updates for a while, as I can only access fanfiction through the school computers (it's blocked on my home one due to interference with schoolwork. ^^;) Anyways, if I manage to convince my dad to unblock fanfiction over the holidays, expect some Christmas-themed fics coming your way. ;D

Holly Marie Fowl: Haha, expect a special chapter sometime in the future giving the details. ;P

The Chosen One of Randomness: Awww…and that review just made me smile. ;D Thanks!


	7. The Twelve Barking Days of Christmas

It's time for a _Leviathan_ Christmas! Here's part one of four parts:

A _Leviathan_ Christmas: Part One

**The Twelve Barking Days of Christmas**

"Done," Alek said, setting down his pencil. He looked to Dylan, seated next to him.

The middy placed his down as well. "You want to go first?"

Alek shrugged. "I guess." Clearing his throat, he began.

"On the twelfth day of Christmas, a Clanker gave to me:

"Twelve bits of metal

"Eleven clanking engines

"Ten turrets firing

"Nine fighters flying

"Eight warships sailing

"Seven zeppelins zepping

"Six storms a-walking

"Fiiiive big ro-booots!

"Four fencing sabres

"Three Herkules

"Two emperors

"And a count not in the least vulgar!"

Alek set down his paper. Dylan just gave him a blatantly shocked look. Alek blinked nervously. "How was it?"

Dylan gaped. "That was barking terrible!"

Disgruntled, Alek retorted, "Let's see you do better!"

The Darwinist snorted. "You're on.

"On the twelfth day of Christmas, a _Darwinist_ gave to me:

"Twelve beasts of burden

"Eleven elephantines trumpeting

"Ten fléchette bats spiking

"Nine message lizards messaging

"Eight giant whales flying

"Seven bees a-buzzing

"Six middies falling

"Fiiiive nonfabricated thylaciiiines!

"Four barking spiders

"Three krakens

"Two behemoths

"And a loris being perspicacious!"

Silence.

"That was...better?"

"Aye, told you so. Wait, hold on. What?"

"It wasn't that good."

"Well, what am I, a barking poet?"

"Obviously not, it didn't rhyme."

"Yours didn't either."

"Let's just agree neither of us is ever going to make a living writing poetry."

"Dead right."

…

Alright, there's the first part! Expect an update for each day in the following couple of days! ;D (P.S. I am aware that you don't have to rhyme to be a poet. It just made for a bit more fun dialogue. ;P)

Holly Marie Fowl: Haha, too late now, I've already thought up a story idea. ;P I may or may not write it, but I now officially have it figured out as to what exactly happened…poor Mr. Rigby…Yes, I realize that, writing the previous chapter, Alek is quite sexist. But as you mentioned, the time period is like that, and I tried to express his views as accurately as possible considering the time period, and his reactions to Lilit in Behemoth. And very true, I suspect Westerfeld will certainly have 'Dylan' teach Alek a lesson or two about that. ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: So very silly.

HallelujahtheCreator: Thanks for the compliments, and brilliant idea! Wonderful! I looked up the time, and it was during the winter of 1914, which is perfect, considering the time of the books (only a few months before.) Thank you so much, that's a great idea! Expect it as the finale/part four of a _Leviathan _Christmas. ;)

Ailat:

1. Haha, really? I'm surprised. I bet more people have gotten it than you've given credit for. Unevas, don't worry about not having reviewed earlier. The fact that you reviewed at all is all that matters. ;D

2. Deryn was very controlled, yes. But she had to take into consideration that, as a boy, it was strange for her to be so defensive over women's rights. And yeah, Alek was being smackworthy, but you can't blame him. It's how he was raised to think, as were most people in that age. Nowadays, though, I admit the argument against women's rights irks me too, but I won't get into that here. Thanks for the review!

Part two will be up pretty soon for you all read to read, so be on the lookout! ;)


	8. How the Count Stole Christmas

Here's part two of a _Leviathan_ Christmas!

A _Leviathan _Christmas: Part Two

**How the Count Stole Christmas**

Every Austrian  
and Clanker  
Liked Christmas a lot...

But the Count,  
Who worked in the prince's palace,  
Did NOT!

The Count hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!  
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.  
It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right.  
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.  
But I think that the most likely reason of all  
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

But,  
Whatever the reason,  
His heart or the season,  
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating any Austrian ,  
Staring down from his room with a sour, Volger frown  
At the warm lighted windows below in their town.  
For he knew every Austrian in the palace beneath  
Was busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath.

"And they're hanging their stockings!" he snarled with a sneer.  
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"  
Then he growled, with his count fingers nervously drumming,  
"I MUST find a way to keep Christmas from coming!"  
For, tomorrow, he knew...

...All the palace girls and boys  
Would wake up bright and early. They'd rush for their toys!  
And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!  
That's one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

Then the people, young and old, would sit down to a feast.  
And they'd feast! And they'd feast!  
And they'd FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!  
They would start on bread pudding, and roast Darwinist beast  
Which was something the Count couldn't stand in the least!

And THEN  
They'd do something he liked least of all!  
Every Clanker in the palace, the tall and the small,  
Would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.  
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And the Clankers'd start singing!

They'd sing! And they'd sing!  
AND they'd SING! SING! SING! SING!  
And the more the Count thought of the Staff-Christmas-Sing  
The more the Count thought, "I must stop this whole thing!  
"Why for thirty-three years I've put up with it now!  
I MUST stop Christmas from coming!  
...But HOW?"

Then he got an idea!  
An awful idea!  
THE COUNT  
GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

"I know just what to do!" the Count laughed in his throat.  
And he made a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat.  
And he chuckled, and clucked, "What a great Volger trick!  
"With this coat and this hat, I'll look just like Saint Nick!"

"All I need is a reindeer..."  
The Count looked around.  
But since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found.  
Did that stop the old Count...?  
No! The Count simply said,  
"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead!"  
So he called his man Klopp. Then he took some red thread  
And he tied a big horn on top of his head.

THEN  
He loaded some bags  
And some old empty tops  
On a ramshackle sleigh  
And he hitched up old Klopp.

Then the Count said, "Giddy-up!"  
And the sleigh started apace  
Toward the dorms where the Clankers  
Lay asleep in their place.

All their windows were dark. Quiet snow filled the air.  
All the staff were all dreaming sweet dreams without care  
When he came to the first door past the common room square.  
"This is stop number one," the old County Claus hissed  
And he picked the old lock, empty bags in his fist.

Then he slid through the doorway. Trying not to be loud.  
But if Santa could do it, then so could the Count.  
He made noise only once, for a moment or two.  
Then he looked 'round the room at the fireplace flue  
Where the little _kinder*_ stockings all hung in a row.  
"These stockings," he grinned, "are the first things to go!"

Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant,  
Around the whole room, and he took every present!  
Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums!  
Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums!  
And he stuffed them in bags. Then the Count, very sneaky,  
Shoved the bags, one by one, out the room, how cheeky!

Then he slunk to the icebox. He took the staff's feast!  
He took the bread pudding! He took the roast Darwinist beast!  
He cleaned out that icebox as quick as a flash.  
Why, that Count even took the last can of their hash!

Then he stuffed all the food out the dorm room with glee.  
"And NOW!" grinned the Count, "I will take out the tree!"

And the Count grabbed the tree, and he started to shove  
When he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove.  
He turned around fast, and he saw the small prince!  
Little Prince Alek, who was not more than two hence.

The Count had been caught by this little Austrian boy  
Who'd got out of bed for a cup of water and a toy.  
He stared at the Count and said, "Santy Claus, why,  
"Why are you taking our Christmas tree? WHY?"

But, you know, that old Count was so smart and so slick  
He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick!  
"Why, my sweet little tot," the fake Santy Claus lied,  
"There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side.  
"So I'm taking it home to my workshop, my dear.  
"I'll fix it up there. Then I'll bring it back here."

And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted his head  
And he got him a drink and he sent him to bed.  
And when Prince Alek went to his bed with his cup,  
The Count went to door and brought the tree up!

Then the last thing he took  
Was the log for their fire.  
Then he went out the room himself, the old liar.  
On their walls he left nothing but hooks, and some wire.

And the one speck of food  
That he left in the room  
Was a crumb too small even to be swept by a broom.

Then  
He did the same thing  
To the other staff's rooms

Leaving crumbs  
Much too small  
For the other staff's brooms!

It was quarter past dawn...  
All the staff, still a-bed  
All the staff, still a-snooze  
When he packed up his sled,  
Packed it up with their presents! The ribbons! The wrappings!  
The tags! And the tinsel! The trimmings! The trappings!

Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Hoher Sonnblick**,  
He rode to the tiptop to dump all of it!  
"Pooh-pooh to the Clankers!" he was count-ish-ly humming.  
"They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!  
"They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!  
"Their mouths will hang open a minute or two  
"Then all the Clankers down in the palace will cry BOO-HOO!"

"That's a noise," grinned the Count,  
"That I simply must hear!"  
So he paused. And the Count put a hand to his ear.  
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.  
It started in low. Then it started to grow...

But the sound wasn't sad!  
Why, this sound sounded merry!  
It couldn't be so!  
But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at the palace!  
The Count popped his eyes!  
Then he shook!  
What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Clanker down in the palace, the tall and the small,  
Was singing! Without any presents at all!  
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!  
IT CAME!  
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Count, with his count-feet ice-cold in the snow,  
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?  
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!  
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"  
And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.  
Then the Count thought of something he hadn't before!  
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.  
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

And what happened then...?  
Well...in Austria they say  
That the Count's tiny heart  
Grew three sizes that day!  
And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight,  
He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light  
And he brought back the toys! And the food for the feast!  
And he...

...HE HIMSELF...!  
The Count carved the roast Darwinist beast!

…

Haha, well, this was just a little fun thing. For the most part, I just went through and tweaked the words some, so it obviously doesn't sound as good as the original, but it's just for fun, of course.

*In case you didn't know, kinder means children in German.

**Hoher Sonnblick is just a random (albeit real) mountain in Austria. Don't ask me where. I just needed a name.

Naturally, the Grinch belongs to Dr. Seuss.

And on a side note, happy Festivus! It's the holiday for the rest of us! xP

Holly Marie Fowl: Haha, thanks! To be honest, it didn't take me all that long. Granted, neither are very good, but hey. 'What am I, a barking poet?' Although there will be poetry again in part three…^^;

camdude: And yes as you can see; a new story for you to read; is up, part two of a Leviathan Christmas! (To the tune of White Christmas, continuing from your part in the melody, but to be honest, I hardly know anything about how the melody goes. ^^;) Anyways, thanks! And really? *shrugs* To be honest, I think both aren't good, so I just picked one. *goes to add a little bit to the part one*

Music Antoinette: Thanks for the please! ;D Haha, everyone seems to like Alek's more! Well, I'll even it out a little bit, if you want to check out part one again.

See you all in part three (which shall be out tomorrow)!


	9. The Night Before Christmas

Here's part three of a _Leviathan _Christmas!

A _Leviathan_ Christmas: Part Three

**The Night Before Christmas**

'Twas the night before Christmas  
Onboard Leviathan.  
A blond-headed boy slept,  
Cold and alone.

Well, slept is not right,  
For in fact he was awake,  
And staring wide-eyed  
Wishing for a break.

Well, boy is not right either,  
For instead, you see,  
This young gentleman  
Was a female middy.

With her hair cropped right short  
And a dead knack for swearing  
You'd never tell she was a girl  
By the clothes she was wearing.

In uniform or out,  
Most saw only a boy,  
But this made perfect sense,  
For that was her ploy.

Except for a sneaky old  
Vulgar old count,  
No one knew her secret,  
She daren't let it out.

At the moment, she lay,  
Eyes wide and staring,  
Waiting for some sort of sound,  
Even if 'twas 'larms blaring.

'This Christmas is boring,'  
She thought to herself,  
'This is Christmas! Where's Santa,  
'Or at least a small elf?'

She sighed to herself,  
Her eyes downcast,  
'Why do I think he'd come?  
'All that stuff's in the past.

'Christmas with Da and Mum,  
'And of course Jaspert too,  
'With a turkey, all-roasted,  
'And stuffing and stew.'

And she sighed once again,  
Poor Deryn Sharp,  
For no Christmas was coming  
Within the night's dark.

Across the ship,  
In a separate boy's room,  
Prince Alek lay awake  
Contemplating his doom.

What a gloomy thought to be had  
On a soft Christmas Eve,  
But he thought this thought anyways,  
Rubbed his eyes with his sleeve.

He wondered how it'd end  
This good-for-nothing war.  
Would it end peacefully?  
Or would they all go home sore?

Would he even get a chance  
To go back home at all?  
Or would he die fighting,  
Standing proud and tall.

Sighing, he wondered about  
Dylan, his friend.  
Was he awake too,  
Pondering his end?

Or just lying in bed  
At this ungodly hour.  
He quickly decided  
On not to be dour.

Reaching under his bed,  
He pulled out a small toy.  
It was old and worn  
Since his time as a boy.

Alek held the small bear  
Close to his heart,  
Got out of his bed,  
Ventured into the dark.

Deryn had gotten up  
Out of bed as well.  
Had pulled out some drawings  
She'd thought were quite swell.

For a time now, she'd thought  
Of giving them to the prince  
As sort of a present  
On this day of Christmas.

Each drawing was different  
And none were the same.  
Some she even thought  
Were just the littlest bit lame.

All were of Alek  
In one way or another  
Some had him all alone  
Some had both of them together.

One showed him as an archduke  
The leader he'd be.  
Another was of him sitting  
At the foot of a tree.

One had him smiling,  
Two shadowy figures behind.  
Since she didn't know his parents' faces  
She'd leave the rest to his mind.

One had them both fencing  
Though Deryn had lost.  
One had them both laughing  
At some silly toss.

One had him and Bovril  
Another was like that too.  
And on the last she'd written  
'These here are for you.'

The words were underneath  
Her hardest picture of all.  
The two of them were sitting  
Backs pressed to a wall.

And Deryn's hand, though hard to see,  
Was resting slightly on his.  
And they were smiling sad smiles  
And the reason for this

Was because Deryn knew  
That due to the war  
Neither might live to see  
A single day more.

So she expressed her sorrow  
All into that one picture.  
But it also expressed  
Both's determined fixture.

They were still smiling because  
They knew, side by side,  
That they'd both die together  
If at all they both died.

As a knock sounded quietly  
On Deryn's room door,  
She knew, for this moment,  
There wasn't a war.

And she let Alek in,  
And he gave her his gift.  
He said, "I know it's 'daft'  
"But I didn't know what to get.

"I had this small bear  
"When I was just a small boy.  
"It managed to comfort me,  
"And was my favorite toy.

"And I thought, if we ever,  
"You know, have to part,  
"Then he can comfort you too  
"Like he did with my heart.

"Because you'll still be off in this war,  
"Probably out in the front fighting."  
And he stood there nervously,  
Hoped his gift wasn't spiting.

But to his surprise, Deryn smiled  
And took it.  
And she grabbed her sketch pad  
And gave him her own gift.

And said, "I drew these  
"Specifically for this one day.  
"They're all of you  
"At work or at play.

"I don't know if you'll like them.  
"But like you said, if you leave.  
"You'll still have a bit of you and us  
"Tucked into your sleeve."

Deryn clutched her new bear  
And gave Alek a smile.  
"By the way, your gift,  
"Makes this whole day worthwhile."

And she hugged the bear close,  
And Alek did the same with her drawings.  
And they both said 'Thank you'  
As the sun began dawning.

"You're the best friend, Dylan,  
"A person could want,"  
Alek said meaningfully  
And in no way a taunt.

Deryn nodded and laughed  
And reached outward and fore  
And she grabbed the prince in a hug  
And held on a bit more.

Alek hugged her back,  
And they both said, at first light,  
"Merry Christmas to you,  
"And to you a good night."

…

Okay, I admit, I'm not much of a poet. But I think it turned out all right. And Holly, if you think the twelve days of Christmas took a while, this one tops that one by a long shot.

Holly Marie Fowl: Thanks! And don't be too harsh on poor Alek, he's only two in the previous fic. ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: I know! He's a mean one, that count. xP

HallelujahtheCreator: I'm honored that you think I'm a good person to write about the Christmas Truce. Now I just have to live up to your expectations. Haha, love your little dialogue between Volger and Klopp! I couldn't figure out who to use as Max, so I decided to make it poor Klopp. I'm glad you liked that part! xP

Ailat:

1. Thanks! And, haha, 'zeppelins zepping' was mainly because I didn't want to use flying again, and because zepping just sounds like a fun word. You call it creative, I call it not being sane.

2. Uber is an uber word. And thank you! By the way, congrats on knowing kinder and making your friend proud.;D


	10. The Christmas Truce

Awww…a _Leviathan_ Christmas is over already. Oh well, there's always next year. This part is a bit AU, as I have no idea where the two will be on Christmas day as Goliath isn't out yet, and the previous chapter had them on board the _Leviathan_ for Christmas. Also, Alek still doesn't know Deryn is a girl. Though this better not be the case in Goliath when it comes out.

Anyways, here's the fourth and final part. I hope you enjoy!

A _Leviathan_ Christmas: Part Four

**The Christmas Truce**

The moment Deryn heard the boom, she covered her face with her arms to shield against the flying shrapnel she knew would follow the impact.

It came and went. There was an occasional firing back and forth, but overall, the lull upon the field of battle had settled.

Deryn held her gun tightly, fingers cold in their thin gloves. She tapped the metal barrel nervously, a habit she'd picked up since arriving at the battlefield.

She rested her head against the dirt wall of the trench behind her, the only thing protecting her from a fiery death. Protecting them all.

Glancing up at the moon, a small sliver in the sky, she guessed it was past midnight.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered softly to herself.

Turning her gaze upon the white tents in the distance, she spotted a familiar head leaving through a flap. She wanted to call him over, but decided not to. He was safer in the medical tents, and quite frankly, more useful. His bloody saber was of no help in a situation like this.

Deryn held her breath, waiting for more. Always more, of bullets, of firing, of noise, of screams, of deaths. War brought more of all of those things.

She hated it.

Time passed slowly. Almost too slowly. And without a shot. What happened? Were the Clankers falling back? Had they won?

Very carefully, she poked her head up above the trench, just barely enough to see that the Germans were still there.

She settled in again, and loosened her grip on her gun. Well, if they weren't firing, she hardly would back.

_Call it a Christmas present, if you will,_ she thought to herself.

Minutes ticked by, and still no attack. Deryn felt herself begin to relax for the first time in a couple of weeks. She had no idea why the Clankers weren't attacking, or why the Darwinists weren't retaliating, but she could care less.

Her eyes focused on Alek as he began to creep over to her from the medical tents. He reached her side and sat next to her, his back to the trench as well.

Turning to face her, she saw her own haunted feeling reflected in his eyes. They'd hardly been in this war, had only touched the surface, but it had been enough for them to see the brute horror and cruel terror of the battlefield. Bombs blasting men apart, bullets shredding men to pieces. It was too much.

But at last, there seemed like there'd be peace, for just this small moment. Deryn guessed the Germans didn't want to attack on Christmas, and her side was just as reluctant.

"How's it going?" Alek asked wearily, his clothes streaked with the blood of the dying and wounded.

Deryn snorted. "I'm alive. So I guess pretty well."

Alek smiled sadly, and said nothing more.

Suddenly, he stiffened. "Do you hear that?" he asked quietly.

Deryn strained her ears. Her hearing had been bombarded with too many booms of explosions, but at last she heard what Alek did. "Are they…singing?"

Alek paused, and nodded. "Yes. It's an old German Christmas song." His mouth turned upwards a little. "I heard this when I was a kid. My mother used to sing it to me."

Taking a deep breath, Deryn yelled out, "Dashing through the snow, on a one horse open sleigh, o'er the fields we go, laughing all the way!"

Alek took the cue and joined in as Deryn sang. "Bells on bob tails ring, making spirits bright, what fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight!"

A chorus of men's voices rose up from the Darwinists to join the two teens. "Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun, it is to ride in a one horse open slei-gh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun, it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!"

Deryn laughed as she saw the soldiers of her side nudging each other and grinning as they belted out the next verse. "A day or two ago, I thought I'd take a ride, and soon Miss Fanny Bright, was seated by my side! The horse was lean and lank, misfortune seemed his lot, we got into a drifted bank, and then we got upsot, oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun, it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh, hey! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun, it is to ride in a one! Horse! Op-en sleeiiigh!"

Merriment was all around the camp now, and in the distance a German shouted something. Turning to Alek, she asked, "What'd he say?"

The prince shrugged. "I couldn't hear him."

Looking up, Deryn spotted a message lizard scurrying around the camp. She called for it, then realized she didn't know the phrase she wanted. "How do you say 'Merry Christmas' in Clankertalk?" she asked Alek.

"_Fröhliche Weihnachten_," Alek replied.

Turning to the message lizard, Deryn said, "_Fröhliche Weihnachten_! Merry Christmas to you all! Aye, and a happy new year! Forgot that. Er, message ended. So, think you can take this over the Clankers across the way?" The message lizard blinked, then scurried away across the battlefield.

Alek raised an eyebrow. "There's no way that's allowed."

Deryn shrugged. "Aye, but it's Christmas. Rules can go stuff themselves."

The archduke grinned. He was proud of his friend for trying to cheer everyone up.

While they'd heard reports of troops along the line, on both sides, receiving presents of food and such from George V and the Kaiser, Deryn and her group were fighting so far off the main lines, she guessed the king had forgotten them.

Deryn poked her head up to view the field again and saw the message lizard come back. It opened its mouth and answered in a deep, heavily accented voice, "_Fröhliche Weihnachten_, and merry Christmas! Ve are villing to call a ceasefire if you are. Our men vould be happy to meet yours in a truce. Vave to us if you agree. End message."

The middy's mouth twitched upwards on one side in a lopsided smile. Getting up, she climbed up the trench and waved. "What are you _doing_?" Alek hissed, among shouts from Darwinist officers.

"Waving," she replied.

An officer came running over. "You are not authorized to do that!" he shouted.

"Stuff your barking rules. It's Christmas." Deryn's eyes alit when she saw a figure walking out from the Clanker's trenches.

"What are they doing?" the officer asked in amazement. "Is that fellow daft?"

Deryn laughed. "Nah, he's just barking mad with Christmas fever. They offered a ceasefire, so I took it."

"You can't do that!" the officer said, stunned.

Alek rolled his eyes. "He already did," he muttered.

Deryn walked towards the center of the battlefield, in no-man's land. At last, she and a mustached German officer met. She stuck out her hand, and he shook it. "A bit young to be making the decisions, aren't you?" he asked, his voice the same as the one from the message lizard.

The Darwinist shrugged. "Aye, but they can't punish me 'til tomorrow."

"Fair enough, little soldier. Vell met." He waved an arm and his men began to trudge slowly towards them, wary and weary, but also curious to meet their foe, and infused with Christmas spirit.

Deryn turned to the Darwinists and called out, "Come on, they aren't gonna bite!"

Slowly, the men on her side did the same as the Clankers.

Within a few minutes, they were all out in no-man's land, and slowly the ice between them began to melt. They began to joke around, to laugh, to sing and exchange stories.

Deryn wove among the Clankers, talking to them in her limited Clanker, and shaking hands.

She broke from the crowd and joined Alek, who stood a little to the side. He'd mingled a little, but found it a bit awkward. He wasn't a soldier, and felt like he didn't belong.

"What you did was reckless, and fairly idiotic," he said quietly.

Deryn huffed. "So?"

Alek gave her a quick one-armed hug. "It was also brilliant." He spread his arm to indicate the troops. "Look. For one day, you gave these men happiness. And elsewhere, the same thing has been happening along the fronts, with Darwinists and Clankers meeting in the middle."

Deryn sighed. "We'll have to go back to fighting again tomorrow, won't we?"

The archduke nodded. "But forget all that. Today's Christmas. 'Stuff the rules'."

Laughing, Deryn stuck out her tongue in response to his jibe. "Merry Christmas, Alek," she said, watching the men greet each other.

Alek replied, "Merry Christmas."

Deryn and Alek stood together, two friends side by side, watching what would come to be known in legends as the Christmas Truce.

…

On a quick side note, I did do my research, and Jingle Bells was around at this time. Also, my story isn't completely accurate to the truth of the Christmas Truce, but it does follow quite a few facts, as well as following the myth.

Holly Marie Fowl: Thanks! And yeah, picturing a two-year-old Alek is adorable.

The Chosen One of Randomness: Aww, thanks! I'm glad you liked it, and don't worry, I'll keep writing. ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: In all honesty, it took between three and five hours. Not too bad of a time considering its length. ;P

Music Antoinette: Thanks! Haha, yes, poor Klopp, and adorable Alek. ;)

ItalianRose5: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like my stuff. And because you said students, it made me curious, and I saw on your profile you're a librarian. I feel so honored! A librarian likes my writing! ;D

Stella-Muse: Haha, thanks! I'm glad you found it funny, and really liked it! Thanks so much!

To HallelujahtheCreator: I hope I did justice to your helpful idea!

Anyways, that's the end of a _Leviathan _Christmas! Happy holidays, seasons greetings, happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa, happy winter, Merry Christmas, happy new year, merry belated Christmas if you're reading this tomorrow, merry early Christmas if you're reading this next year on the twenty-fourth, happy belated Hanukkah if you're reading this on the 25th of December, happy early Hanukkah if it's nearing the 25th of Kislev, and just have a happy day if you're reading this in the middle of June and thinking 'What the bark? It's nowhere near those holidays!'

See you in the next chapter!


	11. New Year's Traditions

Last chapter of the year!

New Year's Traditions

Alek sat quietly, reading reports of the war. He'd managed to convince the captain to give him steady updates, in return for all the help he and his men had brought. The captain had been extremely reluctant, but finally gave in.

Bovril sat perched on the prince's shoulder. His eyes appeared to be scanning the papers in front of the boy. In all honesty, Alek wouldn't be surprised if Bovril really was reading his papers.

"Coming in!" Dylan yelled, then barged through the door. Alek rolled his eyes, but he didn't really have to worry that Dylan would walk in on him without his say-so. The Darwinist boy always hesitated a second, allowing Alek enough time to call out 'Stop!' if he ever needed to. But Alek didn't mention the second's hesitation, because he knew Dylan kept it discreet to keep up his 'cool' reputation.

Walking to stand by Alek, he groaned. "Still working? Lighten up! It's New Year's Eve! In a few minutes, it'll be 1915!"

Alek shrugged. "I need to read up on this. So…how's the party?"

Dylan snorted. "Full of a bunch of drunken crew members. Even Newkirk is staggering around like his head's full of bees."

The prince smirked. "What about my men?"

The Darwinist looked confused. "Well, they're holding up surprisingly well. None of them seem drunk, even though Klopp's downed about an entire barrel!"

"That's my crew, alright," Alek said. "Austrians and Germans can hold their drink."

Dylan raised an eyebrow. "So what about you?"

Alek put his hands out in defense. "I've never had a drop! My mother strictly forbade it, though my father often tried to slip me sips. He always got caught, though. What about you?"

The Darwinist laughed. "Ha, seriously? My mother would never let me near spirits! No 'respectable' la-lad drinks at such a young age! Or so she always told me. I can't say I care either way."

Silence fell over the two friends.

Glancing at a clock, Dylan grinned. "It's almost the new year!"

"I suppose so." Alek absentmindedly stroked the loris sitting on his shoulder.

As Dylan watched the seconds tik down, he said, "You know, we Darwinists have a tradition of sharing a kiss with someone at midnight."

Alek looked around. "Alright. But who with?"

"Ten, nine, eight," Dylan began to count down.

"Seven, six, five," Alek joined in.

"Four, three," they continued counting, though Alek watched Dylan in fear as the boy leaned in towards him, lips puckered.

"Two," Alek said nervously.

"One," Dylan finished, and Alek stared wide-eyed as the boy leaned in…

And planted a big kiss on the top of Bovril's head. "Happy new year!" he exclaimed, clapping Alek on his unoccupied shoulder. "Did I freak you out?" he asked the prince.

Alek nodded. "Yes, I must admit, you frightened me quite a bit."

Dylan's gaze seemed a little sad, but he laughed and punched Alek lightly. "Score one for the new year! Now come on, let's head out to the party!"

"Are you sure about that?" Alek asked nervously. "A drunken Newkirk sounds scary."

Dylan paused. "Aye, that he is. Guess I'll just hang out in here, right?"

Alek laughed. "Right!"

Though he didn't say it out loud, Alek was really looking forward to this new year. The reason being, he hoped, that he'd get to spend it all with Dylan by his side. He'd never had a best friend before.

1915 would hopefully be a year of new starts, new friendships, and new adventures.

…

Happy New Year everyone! Yay for 2011!

The Chosen One of Randomness: Thanks! And yeah, I only found about the second verse pretty recently, so I thought I'd put it in. I hope you had a merry Christmas too!

Call me Mad AKA Ninja Fish: Hmm…that's an interesting idea, going to the next day. Of course, that'd be more of an AU storyline. Would you be interested in reading a continuation of that? With segments posted occasionally throughout this series?

Rue-the-Marauder: Thank you! Don't worry, I have super-powered hearing and I heard your applause, and it made me smile. ;D

Holly Marie Fowl: Yes! Another Warehouse 13 fan! *high-fives*

2spiffy: It actually did work, though in less of a glorified fashion. You can look up the Christmas Truce online and learn about it. It's pretty cool, actually. ;D You're right, though, I don't think it would work nowadays. Anyways, I'm glad you liked it, and I'm glad you'll be watching for more!

Ailat:

1. Haha, I wish I could have seen that! My mom would probably do the same if she walked in on me like that. ;P And don't worry, that made sense. ;D

2. Haha, really? It does sound fun to say, though. ;P By the way, what does 'tua criceta  
fuit' mean? Thanks! I'm glad you liked the way I put it into the Leviathan world!

Frogster:

1. I'm glad you liked both versions! Haha, yes, Deryn's is a mouthful to say. ;P

2. Thanks! Yeah, I watch the animated version every Christmas too. ;D Don't worry, I'll keep chapters coming. And yes, I hope Dr. Barlow didn't hear about the roast Darwinist beast. ;P

3. That's interesting! I didn't know that in the Civil War, they did something similar. Maybe they didn't meet in the middle, but it's interesting to hear that they sang Christmas carols. I hope you had a merry Christmas too! ;D

Alright then! Sorry for the wait, but I took a little break after the Christmas specials. Anyways, the next chapters will be getting back into the normal swing of things. See you then!


	12. Confusion plus Prelude

Hey all! Alrighty then, this chapter is going back to the normal. Though now I suppose I'll have to write a special chapter for every holiday, won't I? Please don't expect me to write a chapter for Diwali, or something, though. Because I know next to nothing of the holidays, and I'd rather not butcher them. ^^; I guess I really don't know…I can do specials related to the theme of the holiday, without actually mentioning the holiday it's for, I suppose. And now I'm rambling.

**Prelude:**

Yes, a prelude. You're all thinking 'What the bark is this?' But you see, I have decided to put this in because I wanted to share my strange dream with you all, before I forget. And, you know, I didn't really want to make this an actual chapter, because that'd just be weird.

Anyways, in my dream, Deryn was standing in a front of a bunch of crewmen (I think they were all in a diamond shape with Deryn at the point), and all of them started jogging, except weirdly. Let me explain. You know those little stick figures on exit signs, that look like they're in midstride of running? Yes, well, picture Deryn and her crewmen all jogging like that, leaned over, with their arms and legs ninety degree angles and everything.

So, as they're jogging, they start singing, "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!" Please note, they were jogging in time. So then they sing, "A flibbertijibbet, a will-o-the-wisp, drink up me hearties jo ho! Gobbledy blah, none of the rest of this made sense, drink up me hearties jo ho!" To explain, somewhat. Please note, once again, this was all a dream, and minds think up strange things during dreams. So anyways, the flibbertijibbet and will-o-the-wisp are from the song 'How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?', which is from the movie 'Sound of Music'…What? I watched it the day before this dream, so I suppose it's natural it made its way in. Anyways, I don't know what the 'jo ho' is. 'Yo ho' with a really thick pirate accent?

Then, Deryn suddenly sticks out her arm and commands, "Stop." And everyone freezes midstride, just like the exit sign. Deryn changes to a normal standing stance, and says, "Wait a minute. This song is from the 1950s." Actually, I don't know if it is or not. I'm just quoting my dream, remember? But I do know it came after all them in World War I, 'cause, you know, it's only 1914 for them, and Walt Disney created his first park a lot later.

Anywho, the dream ended with Deryn standing there, a puzzled look on her face. And I have absolutely no idea where Alek was. He just didn't appear in my deluded, sleepy mind. So, did you enjoy my very strange prelude (which, by the way, has nothing to do with the actual chapter)?

Confusion

"_I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."_

_~Robert McCloskey_

"Ha, bet you can't," Deryn scoffed, her arms crossed over her chest.

Alek raised an eyebrow. "Oh, but I bet I can."

"One sentence. An actual sentence, no run-ons or that jargon. So try it. I'm sharper than you give me credit for."

"You sure you want to risk that?" Alek asked. "I'm quite sure I can confuse you with just one sentence, even if it is you."

Deryn snorted. "Ha, not likely. I'll understand every little squick of your trick sentence. So bring it on!"

Alek cleared his throat. "Very well. 'To say of what is that it is not, or of what is not that it is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true.' To quote Aristotle."

The middy gaped. "What the barking clart was that?"

"Did it confuse you?" Alek questioned, looking smug.

Deryn harrumphed. "I bet I can top that."

"Oh really?" Alek said, his eyes giving away his disbelief.

"Aye," Deryn said. "Here goes: 'One thing can look like the other and everyone thinks that one thing is the other except for one person who finds out the one thing is another instead of the other but everyone else goes on thinking that one thing is still the other and the one thing isn't even sure if it is one or the other because it is so used to being the other it's forgotten about being the one thing it really is.'"

Taking a deep breath, Deryn exhaled loudly. She hadn't breathed once during her little spiel, but boy had it been good to get that out of her system! To just, vent to someone about her feelings without the person actually knowing he was being vented to, let alone what about.

Alek blinked. "Was that an actual quote?" he asked.

Deryn froze. "Er, yes, yes it was. By, um, well, I forgot the bloody author's name, but what's it matter?"

"You forgot the author's name, yet you memorized that whole quote?" Alek stared skeptically.

The Darwinist shrugged. "It's a cool quote."

"Well, I think I understand yours…kind of. It's confusing, but I feel as if I can follow it."

"Aye, well…I still have no barking clue as to what yours was about, so I guess you win," Deryn said, admitting defeat.

Alek pointed to the floor. "Very well. I shall receive my prize."

Muttering darkly, Deryn kneeled down on the floor and placed her forehead upon it. In a forceful voice, she said through gritted teeth, "Oh wonderful Alek. You are oh so much smarter than I am. I am humbled to…uh, what's it that comes next?"

"Be in my presence," Alek coaxed.

Deryn grumbled. "Right, uh, I am humbled to be in your presence, and I will serve you for the rest of the day."

"Rise, faithful servant," Alek commanded, and Deryn did as she was told, seething. "Fetch me some lunch."

"Aye aye, sir," Deryn mumbled, storming out and planning dastardly plans of putting vile creatures under Alek's bedsheets. Oh yes, he'd wake up to a nasty surprise.

And while she was at it, she may as well figure out what his bloody quote meant.

…

So actually, I suppose the prelude ties in a bit with this chapter, because it's about being confused and all, and I was very confused when I dreamt the prelude. And this chapter really has no plot…-_- I am having a bit of writer's block, though, so I hope you can forgive me. But the quote was fun to use! It took me a couple minutes to understand it, though, but I like it! It's fun to read. xP

Anyways, updates are going to be pretty slow for the next two weeks here, as I've got exams coming up. Got to study and all that whatnot. But after that, I should be back to normal!

Holly Marie Fowl: It _is _an awesome show. ;D Thought she was actually going to…? xP Well, that was the point, to make you think that. And good, I'm glad you caught the 'la-lad' thing. I was hoping people would. ;)

Rue-the-Marauder: *falls out of chair laughing* xD

Music Antoinette: Haha, well, that was the point, to make you think she was about to kiss him. Glad you liked it! ;D

Pony:

1. Thank you!

2. I'm glad you liked the Grinch one. ;)

3. Aww, thanks! I'm glad you thought it turned out good. ;D

4. Thanks again!

LittleKittyShaoMao: Aww, that's cute! I did the same with my dog at midnight. ;D And thanks!

Ailat: It means "your mother was a hamster"? …*bursts out laughing* I am so using that from now on! xD And nah, Deryn's not going to smack Alek…though that is an amusing mental image…*shakes head to clear thoughts* Anyways, love your little story there! Haha, I wish I could have seen that. xP

See you all in the next chapter!


	13. Lessons

No more weird preludes, I promise. ;P And sorry for the delay, but with exams this week, I'm pressed to find time to write. Here's chapter thirteen!

Lessons

____

"Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood."

~Helen Keller

"Ow!" Alek exclaimed as he banged his head into the bottom of his desk.

"You find it yet?" Dylan asked, only his feet visible to Alek.

"No," the prince said, then muttered, "Remind me again why _I'm _the one crawling around under the desk?"

Dylan heard. "Simple, your highness. You lost it, you find it."

Sighing, Alek patted the ground in front of him. The shadows from being under a desk obscured his vision, making it harder to find the small object. "Why is this so important?"

"Are you daft? I told you, it's from my mother. No matter how barking annoying she can be at times, this was one thing she gave me I actually liked. Plus, it reminds me of home."

Alek could hear the wistfulness in the Darwinist's voice, and it reminded him of his own parents. He shut his eyes. Remembering that they were dead was still a shock every time.

Dylan's voice came, softer. "Sorry. I'm an idiot, aren't I? Shouldn't have mentioned that."

"It's okay," Alek said, taking a slow breath and banishing the thought from his head.

His hand hit something, small and definitely not part of the floor. He grabbed it, and carefully backed out of the desk.

Once he was back in the open again, he smiled in relief. Being under a desk wasn't exactly a pleasant place to be.

Holding out his hand, Alek revealed a small, silver charm of a fierce-looking bird.

"That's it!" Dylan cried, and snatched it from his hands. He held it gently, his face a big grin.

Alek hadn't realized it was so important to him.

"She gave me this when Da died. Said, 'So you can have a piece of him with you everywhere.'" Dylan paused a moment, turning it over in her palms. "Da and I always had this bond over flying. I think at that time, she had already guessed I was going to join the air force. She was still barking mad about it when she found out I really was, to be sure, but I think she already knew then. It reminds me of both him and her, and of course, Jaspert too."

"Jaspert?" Alek asked.

Dylan's eyes widened, then he relaxed. "Aye, Jaspert. He's my cousin, but we're real close. I reckon he's off fighting in Europe. And we're flying to Japan. Strange, isn't it?"

"What is?" Alek questioned.

"Nothing I ever read in the books prepared me for all this. I never would have imagined myself traveling halfway around the world, or to Co-Istanbul, or befriending a bloody prince, or helping a barking revolution! Not to mention, I'm on the finest ship in the fleet, or at least, I think so. Funny, isn't it? A few months ago, my life was so different. And now…"

The archduke agreed. "Now it's just one adventure after the other. You know, I liked to plan out strategic attacks with little play armies. Granted, the Clankers always won-" Dylan punched him in the shoulder. "Hey! I hadn't really met any Darwinists yet, you know! But I never would have pictured myself sailing on a Darwinist ship to a far away Darwinist nation, or that there'd be a giant war threatening to engulf the world."

Dylan sighed. "It's barking mad, isn't it?"

"Yes," Alek replied. "'Barking mad' indeed."

The two fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I had many tutors back home. I learned so many various lessons, including my fluent English, among other things. But not once did they teach me about how to pilot a Stormwalker at night, or how to handle yourself when captured by Darwinists, or how to overthrow a sultan. I feel like my life has been nothing but a series of lessons that have all turned out be useless!" Alek looked frustrated.

"Life feels like it's only just begun," said Dylan. He absentmindedly rubbed the wings of the bird in his hand. "We're like this hawk."

Alek raised an eyebrow questioningly, though he was happy that he now knew the name of the bird. He wondered if it was natural or fabricated.

Dylan explained. "Hawks grow up in a nest. Their mothers teach them about stuff, and feed them, but they never really do anything. Then one day, they either jump out of the nest or get shoved." Looking at Alek, Dylan gave a lopsided smile. "I jumped. You got shoved. And now we've got our wings, and are just learning to fly with them. But once we master it, we'll be able to soar across the sky."

Alek pondered this. "That was pretty insightful, for you."

Dylan smirked, and punched Alek lightly for the second time in the past few minutes. "Aye, 'cause I'm so barking clever. I bet not even the lady boffin could have come up with something so, um, philosophical as that."

Nodding his agreement, Alek said, "But you know, I'm glad for everything that's happened."

"Why's that?" Dylan asked, though his wide grin showed he already knew the answer.

Alek rolled his eyes. "Don't get_ too _cocky on me, alright?"

"I knew it!" the middy exclaimed, and smirked. "It's because you've got me as a friend, isn't it?" He struck a ridiculous pose, hands placed on his hips and head turned up and to the side.

Clapping his hand over his mouth, Alek tried to stifle his laughter. "I suppose you could say so," he said, his straight face wavering.

Laughing, Dylan said, "Oh, just say it. You're barking dying to!"

"You look ridiculous!"

The Darwinist abandoned his pose and leaned against the wall, arms behind his head. "Aye, so I am. What're you going to do about it?"

"I don't think there's anything I _can_ do," Alek commented dryly.

"Barking right!" Dylan agreed, and stuck his tongue out at the prince.

Alek chuckled, and sat down on his bed. This had been a good time to reflect on their lives, and it helped him feel a little bit better about what his future may turn out to be. It was still a big mystery, but he could wonder, and with Dylan by his side, he couldn't help but feel more confident.

All that time spent with tutors, and they hadn't taught him much to help him now. Still, maybe it was better this way.

Alek was willing to learn more of the lessons life had been throwing him lately.

After all, look at where he was now.

With a friend.

This was something he'd been unprepared for his whole life, but now that he'd at last gained one, it was a lesson well learned, and one he kept learning from daily. One he didn't mind in the least.

…

So there's chapter thirteen! I hope you all enjoyed! To be honest, this is not what I had in mind _at all_ for this chapter, but it just sort of wrote itself. You all know what I mean. ;D

Relating to the previous chapter, for those who had trouble understanding Alek's quote (don't worry, it took me a few tries too), try reading it out loud, and pausing at the slashes:

'To say of what is / that it is not / or of what is not / that it is / is false / while to say of what is / that it is / and of what is not / that it is not / is true.'

Does that help? A translation to normal English would be:

'To say that something exists when it doesn't, or that something doesn't exist when it actually does, is false. However, to say that something exists when it does, and to say that something doesn't exist when it doesn't, is true.'

And if anyone got confused on Deryn's, she was talking about herself, and about how no one knew she was a girl. By the way, I'm guessing you all figured this out, but Deryn's wasn't an actual quote. I just wrote it up. I ended up typing it really fast because I figured that's how Deryn would be saying it, and wrote it a bit as a vent of feelings for her. Because it's long, it looks intimidating, but it's actually pretty easy.

And here's a little tidbit of information: I'm currently working on the first few chapters of another Leviathan series, though this one will actually have a plot and the like, a nice adventure. It won't be out for a while yet, but would you all be interested in reading it? (And don't worry, it won't detract time from this fic.)

Call me Mad AKA Ninja Fish: For Alek's quote, see above. ^^ And yeah, haha, it was a strange dream. One of my stranger ones, I admit, but has anyone ever really had a _normal_ dream? xP

Rue-the-Marauder: Haha, yes, it was a big sentence. xP I take it you went back and read it? Sadly, no, Bovril wasn't there. Dx

Holly Marie Fowl: Yes, it was interesting. And yeah, I guess you could say I do think about Leviathan a lot. ;) But really, it happens with all my favorite books. Eventually, their characters find their way into my dreams. Strange, but true. And oh, gosh, I don't even want to try saying it five times fast. I tried to say Alek's once at a fast pace, and my tongue is still in knots. xP

Music Antoinette: That she is. ;D And skipping Alek's is quite understandable. ;P

The Chosen One of Randomness: Thanks! I'm glad you liked Deryn's sentence, and I hope the explanation up above helped with Alek's quote. Yeah, the prelude was…interesting. ^^;

ByStarlight999: Haha, really? xP And Deryn's really isn't so bad, it's just long. ;) I'm glad you got Alek's!

MarielleAster: Thanks! And I'll try to! ;D

NoAccount: That's good, I'm glad you got the quotes. And, er, yeah, the prelude was kind of out of character for me, but I was in a bit of…how do I put it…I guess 'hyper mood' would be the best way to describe it, though that's not quite it either. Hmm…

Pony: Thanks! And haha, I'm glad you thought it was funny! My brother would do the exact same thing to me. xP

ChildOfTheRevolution: Aww, thanks! And don't worry, I plan to keep with it for a long time yet! ;) *cough*writingismylife*cough* Hm? I said nothing. ;P

AnimeFallingStar: Hey, don't worry about it! The fact that you're reviewing at all is good enough for me. ;) And thank you so much! Yeah, Alek's quote is a bit disappointing once you figure it out, but the whole fun part is trying to understand it. ;P Oh, yay, so that means I'll get another review? I look forward to it! And sure, I'd love it if you left some!

Yeesh, I really need to shorten my author's notes…but that would mean stopping replying to you guys, and I'd never do that. ;)

See you all in chapter fourteen!


	14. Silence

And here's chapter fourteen for you all!

Silence

"_True friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable."_

_~Dave Tyson Gentry_

She knew that look. The one currently in Alek's eyes was one she'd had many times since Da died. Still, she hesitated. Instead of stepping forward, she hung back, watching him with sad eyes as he bit back the tears.

He sat on his bed, head buried in his hands. Their conversation had started off normal, discussing normal things one was supposed to when traveling to Japan in the midst of a war. But somehow or another, the topic had gotten to his parents. And in front of her eyes, he'd broken down. Collapsed, just as she did before their adventures in Istanbul.

Deryn noted the shattered look in his eyes and stood in front of him, staring helplessly. He'd managed to comfort her, so why couldn't she do the same? But each time she tried to reach forward, something stopped her.

It wasn't appropriate for a Darwinist to comfort a Clanker, let alone touch him.

It wasn't appropriate for a commoner to comfort a prince, let alone touch him.

It wasn't appropriate for a girl to comfort a boy, let alone touch him.

It especially wasn't appropriate for a liar to comfort a friend she was practically betraying, let alone touch him.

Let alone even be his friend.

Let alone be allowed to watch him in a moment of true weakness.

But what did that matter? Silencing the voices in her head, Deryn countered that she didn't have to deserve to be his friend. It wasn't a position you applied for: it was something you became through shared experiences.

Stuff the voices.

Moving, Deryn sat down on the bed beside Alek and placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and gave her a watery smile, his eyes leaking ever so slightly. Deryn smiled back, and gave him a sort of one-armed hug.

They sat there for a while, neither saying a word. The situation wasn't awkward without conversation; rather, no word really needed to be said.

The silence wasn't overbearing, but comfortable.

The sort of situation you could only reach with true friends.

…

And there you go! I feel as if I've got some writer's block at the moment. It took me forever to come up with a new chapter, and it's pretty short. Sorry about that. ^^;

Pony: Haha, yes, indeed they are. *shakes fist at own brother* And thank you so much! I'm glad you like my stories a lot, and I hope that I continue to live up to your expectations! ;D

Julia456: Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it, and those two lines as well! Haha, I guess it does correspond to the first book pretty well. Thanks! ;D

Holly Marie Fowl: Whew, that's a relief. At least I'm not the only one. xP And, haha, I really have no idea where the bird thing came from. Like I said at the end note (somewhere in there, it was longer than normal) the story took a completely different direction that what I was originally planning. Anyways, I'm glad you liked it!

Frogster: Thanks! Yeah, it was fun writing 'Dylan's' little philosophical bent. ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: Oh, very creative. I always try to make sure that Deryn's style is sufficiently Deryn. ;D And thanks! *rubs ear* Ouch, I think I heard the fangirl scream from here. xP

LittleKittyShaoMao: Thanks! I'm glad I managed to pull off the right effect with Deryn, and I'm glad you liked the story! As for Alek, I think I'm starting to like writing in his point-of-view just a squick more than Deryn's, simply because he doesn't know that she's a girl yet.

See you all in chapter fifteen! (Since exams are over, the rate should be picking up a bit again.)


	15. Song Challenge

So, I've noticed that these song drabble thingies are becoming quite popular in this section. So, eh. I figured, why not?

Anyways, to make it a little harder for me, I tried to write all of these within the friendship theme, to sort of restrict the story lines. (Though as you'll see, I did fail this quota with one song.)

At the end of the drabbles, I'm going to post explanations for each song, just 'cause. And while reading, understand that in all of them, except for number eight, Alek does not know she's a girl.

Also, these are strange songs, and some of them didn't have words. Just 'cause…well, I have strange songs on my mp3.

Lastly, if you would like to see any of these expanded upon (though I have to admit, they're really not very good) then feel free to let me know, and I can guarantee I will. (Seriously, there's pretty much a 99.9% I'll do whatever a reviewer requests. Doesn't have to be on this, it can be on anything. Go on. Try me. ;P)

Here goes!

Ten Song Drabble Challenges (Or Whatever the Bark It's Called)

_1. Mr. Longbottom Flies (from the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone soundtrack)_

"Shh!" Deryn hissed, placing a finger over her mouth. "Look." Pointing upwards, she directed the men's attention to a Clanker fighter plane drawing closer.

Their eyes watched it carefully. "What's it doing?" one man breathed out quietly.

"Dunno," Deryn shrugged.

Alek tapped her shoulder, and she turned. "What?" she whispered fiercely, not taking kindly to being disturbed from her post.

"I recognize that formation," he said.

Deryn's eyes widened. "What is it?"

"Too late! Run!" Alek shouted as the plane took a sudden steep dive at the men in the trenches.

As fast they could, the Darwinists scattered, trying to escape from the dive-bombing plane. Alek stumbled and fell.

"Barking spiders!" Deryn muttered, and turned to run back and aid him. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him up. "Keep running!"

"Will do," Alek said breathlessly.

_2. Sound of the Wind (Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles I)_

Deryn sat, arms around her knees, on a grassy hill. Down, farther below, in the town, she could hear a Japanese woman singing a song. It sounded soft, and remotely reminded her of back home in Scotland.

The wind ruffled her hair a little bit, its slight rushing filling her ears. She closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. It seemed a bit sad, but interesting. The drums playing along with it added a bit of the war to the song. At least, it did in Deryn's mind.

The war was everywhere. If only it didn't exist. This stupid, stupid war, started by violence-craving nuts.

Placing her hand down, she closed it around the grass, reveling in the feel of nature and beauty, something she'd really been lacking since joining the crew of the _Leviathan_.

Footsteps alerted her to another presence. Looking up, she grinned as she saw it was Alek. He sat down beside her, cross-legged.

"The sound of the wind is beautiful."

"If only it would last."

_3. You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly! (Disney's Peter Pan)_

"I can fly?" Deryn, only four, asked her father. He smiled down at her from the balloon.

"Yes, Deryn. It's quite easy." He turned on the flame, and the balloon floated up a little into the air.

Deryn gaped in awe. "You can fly!"

"So can you," he said, and landed the balloon again. Holding out his hand, he scooped her up and helped her inside the balloon.

Deryn asked, "How does it work?"

"Think happy thoughts," her father said. "Any merry little thought."

She scrunched up her face.

"Are you thinking?"

"As hard as I can!" she replied, and her father turned on the fire. Slowly, the balloon began to rise up from the ground.

"Look," he said, and Deryn, wide-eyed, peeked out over the top of the balloon basket's rim.

"We can fly!" she exclaimed excitedly. "We can fly!"

...

Over ten years later, Deryn clapped Alek on the back as she hitched him up to a Huxley for the first time. "Go on, then. You can fly!"

_4. Total Eclipse of the Heart (Glee Cast, Volume 3: Showstoppers CD)_

"Turn around." Deryn shut her eyes. No. She didn't want to. She didn't want to see the wreckage. She was terrified. She didn't want to see it.

Crumpling to her knees, she gritted her teeth and punched the ground with her right fist. Her left hand was covered in painful burns. Shaking her right hand, she cradled it gently against her chest.

The knowledge of what had happened had turned off a switch inside of her. Her heart had become dark. An eclipse had fallen upon it.

No. NO. It couldn't have happened. How? How? It was her _home_. Her barking _home_! How could they just take that from her?  
"Turn around," he said again.

She was falling apart. She needed him, she needed him as a friend.

He crouched down by her side, held her close. "I really need you tonight," she said. "I need someone…you understand, don't you?"

She looked up at Alek's face and was shocked to see the tears streaming down it. "Yes," he said. "I understand."

Standing up, he helped her to stand as well. "Turn around," he said, and together they faced the scene of the _Leviathan_'s carnage, shot down for the last time.

_5. Hungry Like the Wolf (Duran Duran)_

"Come on, London's fun!" Dylan said, tugging Alek along behind him.

The prince was uncomfortable. He didn't like some of the looks of all the people around them. They seemed almost…hungry. "Are you sure this is safe?" he asked worriedly, casting frequent glances behind them. He was almost convinced that some man was following them.

Dylan laughed. "Relax!" he said, then grabbed the archduke's collar and pulled him into a pub. Sitting Alek down on a barstool, he said, "Two waters, please."

"Sure ye lads don' want anythin' stronger?" the barkeep asked.

The Darwinist shook his head. "Naw, we can't stay for long. Plus, we're hardly old enough." He winked. "Wouldn't want you to get in trouble, would we?"

Alek shuddered as the man gave a wolfish grin.

"O' course. Ye ain't old enough. Riiight."

Somehow, Alek doubted that had ever stopped the man.

_6. Song of the New Year's Ceremony (The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker)_

A fiddle played in the background. Spreading her arms wide, Deryn grinned. "Welcome to Scotland!" she proclaimed proudly to Alek.

_7. Hoist the Colours (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End)_

The drums sounded. Deryn gulped. This wasn't right. This couldn't be happening. They put the noose around his neck.

Barking spiders, if she didn't do anything, she'd noose herself.

Leaping from her position among the _Leviathan_'s crew, she pushed her way through the crowd, flicked out her pocketknife, and sliced the rope off of Alek's neck. She did the same for his men, and grabbed a pistol from a guard's belt.

Alek stood by her side as she confronted them to let the Austrians escape, and she grinned ruefully at him. "Never shall we die, aye?"

"Aye," he agreed, and together they took off running, the British guard hot on their heels.

_8. Chasing a Dream (Twice Charmed-an original play performed on the Disney Cruise Line)_

Alek smacked his hand down on the table. "I've had enough!" he said. "I will _not_ choose a wife." Opening the glass doors to his balcony, he jumped off a story down into the bushes.

"Sire!" the count cried out in dismay.

Running to the stables, he hooked a leg around his horse and took off at high speed. "I'm chasing a dream!" he called out, and began to follow a vision he'd had, of a time long ago, with a friend.

…

A fortnight later, the count had finally found him again. "Sire, this is madness! I've chased you through three kingdoms! You must come back!"

Alek shook his head. "I'm sorry. I know it sounds crazy, but it's worth it. I'm quite willing to go the extra mile to chase my dream."

In his head, he added, _Because maybe, just maybe, she might be willing to be more than a friend._

_9. Augie's Great Municipal Band/End Credits (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)_

Alek waved, dignified and poised as he rode a Clanker walker, built specifically for parades. Trumpets played and choirs sang to celebrate his return and the end of the war.

Yes, they had lost.

Yes, the Darwinists were currently cooking up a treaty for Germany and its allies that would hardly spell anything good.

But for the moment, the Austrians celebrated the return of Alek, who was to take the old emperor's place as ruler. The old emperor himself had been assassinated during the war, and it was up to Alek to take on his duties.

A lingering threat of darkness and sinister plotting put him at a bit of unease. The war may be over, but there would be those unhappy with such a young man as himself. He would even admit to himself: he was inexperienced and unsure. With many advisors, though, including Volger, he had no doubt that he could bring his country back to its former glory before the war.

Of course, he couldn't bear the thought of doing all this alone. The burden was far too much, and near impossible to do without help.

But he had Dylan by his side to support him.

In fact, even now, as they paraded through the streets of Vienna, Dylan sat by his side. Many Austrians thought it strange that their emperor wished to have a British airman ride with him, but Alek didn't care.

Dylan had stuck with him through everything. Through the entire war, he'd been by Alek's side, and the emperor knew that he wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been for his friend.

Who, speaking of which, was cowering in the seat next to Alek. "Dylan, you should smile and wave."

The Darwinist man groaned. "Barking spiders, Alek, I don't like all this attention. And why should I wave? They don't give a squick about me."

Alek reached over and flicked him on the head. "Don't be a 'daft ninny'. Dylan, you're my best friend in the whole world. Why else would you be up here with me? I owe you my life. So just sit up straight, smile, and wave!"

Dylan grimaced. "Blisters, you're turning my own words against me?" Alek punched him lightly on the shoulder, and the airman gaped. "Aye, and now you're punching me, too! That's my thing, I'll have you know!"

"Yes, well, you can have 'your thing' back when you start sitting up and behaving like a royal," Alek stated.

"But I'm not a bloody royal," Dylan muttered.

Alek grinned. "No. But you're my best friend. And that counts about the same, right?"

_10. Gives You Hell (Glee Cast, Volume 3: Showstoppers)_

Deryn woke up and grinned wickedly. She left her room and walked through the hallways of the _Leviathan_.

Passing him in the halls, she stuck out her foot. He stumbled, and fell over it, but managed to right himself before he faceplanted.

Shame.

Later that day, as they ate lunch, she deliberately picked up her tray, and moved it away from him.

He approached her, tried to apologize for the incident.

Deryn shut him out.

"Please," he said. "I'm sorry! I didn't know!"

"Shut it," she retorted, and glared at him.

He gazed at her sadly.

…

"What on earth did he _do_?" Alek asked.

"The rotter took my sketchbook to look at it himself," Deryn replied.

"Alright. So…?"

"He saw his barking birthday drawing early, that's what! It was supposed to be a surprise! Aye, and for looking ahead of time, I'm giving ole Newkirk bloody hell for it."

Alek winced, thinking, _Note to self: Do not look in sketchbook for birthday sketches ahead of time._

…

Now time for some explanations.

1. First song, and already there are no words. Well, anyways, for those who have seen Harry Potter (who hasn't?) this was written to the song from the scene where Neville starts flying, Draco takes his Remembrall after he crashes, he throws it, Harry catches it, and done. I don't know where the story came from, but just imagining a plane zipping around seemed to fit the music (since it was written for broomsticks zipping around).

2. Yes, I have a soundtrack to a videogame. Multiples, actually. I borrowed them from an awesome friend, and yes. Fun. Anyways, the actual song being sung is Japanese, so, you know, that'd fit into Japan quite well. And I just picture Deryn sitting on a nice green hill (think Sound of Music, but warmer, and, uh, more Japanese?) with the wind slightly ruffling her hair, and simply contemplating the war. As for who said what at the end of it, you can decide (hence the reason why I chose not to put specifically who spoke first.)

3. Yes. This is quite obviously Peter Pan. Haha, the story's quite cheesy, really. I even incorporated lyrics into it. But yeah, I think this one is pretty obvious throughout.

4. This one was sad to write. In it, the _Leviathan_ has been gunned down. I'm not sure why Alek and Deryn weren't it, but I'm going to say that several crewmembers were fighting on the ground. Anyways, Deryn is obviously a wreck, because the whale is pretty much her home. Alek is completely in shock, too, but he helps support Deryn some, like she always tends to do for him.

5. This was a fun one. I figured that Deryn's been to London a few times, since she lives in Scotland, which is technically part of Great Britain (or United Kingdom, not sure which. It isn't part of England, though, as that refers only to England.) I think London would be a big change for Alek, especially if they were in some of the lower parts of the city. I figure a prince would be kind of nervous, whereas Deryn wouldn't care a squick (honestly, does she ever?). ;P

6. Not much to say about this one. Yes, it was another videogame soundtrack, with a fiddle playing. Also, it was only twenty-nine seconds long, so I had to come up with something and write it in that time. Hence the incredible, eye-burning shortness.

7. This one was only about a minute and several seconds, so it was quick. But for those who have seen the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, this is from the third one, right at the beginning, where they're hanging all those suspected to be pirates. This is set at a hanging, but rather, the Darwinists were going to hang Alek and his crew…until, of course, Deryn cut in with fine swashbuckling action and set them free.

8. And this is the one drabble of these ten where I broke from the friendship restraint. The song itself is from an original play that was performed on the Disney cruise (can't remember if it was Wonder or Magic) called Twice Charmed, which was a twist on the original Cinderella tale. I think it's on Youtube. Anyways, we really liked it, and bought the CD (by the way, I think this was many many years ago; although not that many, since I'm not very old) and I found it again recently and put it on my mp3. But the song is, literally, about the prince leaping off the balcony and setting off on a search through many kingdoms 'chasing a dream'. (The stepmother went back in time and ruined the whole glass slipper thing; note, this was before the third Cinderella movie ever came out.) So I changed it in this story to fit Alek, and in this one, he is not thinking of Deryn as a friend because a) he knows she's a girl and b) he's in love with her. So this is the one drabble that breaks away from the friendship theme (seriously, it couldn't work with this song.)

9. Ah yes, Star Wars. I had a good nine minutes to write this one, and this one might be my favorite of the bunch. But anyways, Alek still doesn't know of Deryn's secret yet, and they're holding a big celebration for his return to take the throne (seriously unlikely, I am aware of this). Deryn isn't too comfortable with being on a big Austrian parade float, though. Like I said, I enjoyed this one.

10. Yep, another song sung by the Glee Cast (I am indeed a Gleek). Anywho, I don't really like this one that much. Love the song (original and this version), but I feel like the story's really weak, and just overall not very good. I couldn't think up anything fast enough. And I'm not sure why everyone always seems to know about Deryn's sketching in my stories, even though they've never learned of it in the books.

And now for reviews:

Holly Marie Fowl: Haha, really? I had no idea that her name meant bird. And I'm glad you do like it. ;D The romance thing is actually starting to get a bit harder to avoid (after reading numerous fics, my enthusiasm for the pairing as increased) but I also find it more fun to write about their friendship. I'm not really a romance writer, so I think centering on friendship, overall, fits me better.

Pony: Exams are bum-rags indeed. As well as essays. (Can somebody please invent a time machine so someone can travel to the past and lock the inventor of essays in an insane asylum?) And that's good to hear that I'm still doing alright with my writing. ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: Brilliant idea! xP

sharpie: Thanks!

Frogster: You're spot on there. They are close and far, and I bet they'll be able to overcome the ways they're far apart in the third book. And yep, they are indeed close in all the ways that matter. ;D

HopelessRomantic: Yay! *high-fives* Don't worry about it, I liked Deryn's better too. It sounds better to me, because I know exactly how to say it right, which doesn't really come across through writing. ;D

See you all in chapter sixteen! (That is what I'm on, right?)


	16. Puppetry

Hey there all! Time for chapter sixteen!

Puppetry

"_I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better." _

_~Plutarch_

"Can you believe this, Dylan?" Alek asked, his voice quiet, but furious as he listened to the radio. "The things they are saying about my home."

"Mmhm," Dylan agreed, not taking his eyes off his sketchpad, on which was a picture he'd drawn a while ago. His fingers twitched, but he refrained from picking up his pencil, for a reason Alek did not yet know.

He continued his rant. "The insults and such they are saying of my people. _My_ people! The Germans and the Austrians! I understand, the Germans are my enemies, but the fact of the matter is, there are so many, many decent Germans out there, and the Austrians! How dare they accuse us of such things." His voice was nowhere near shouting, but his anger was quite clear.

Dylan murmured a short, "Aye."

Frustrated, Alek clenched his hand into a fist. "I have never been so angry. That your people, the British, can calmly sit and insult my country simply because we are in a war. The civilians are not at fault. They have never been insulted before. And yet, all of a sudden, they are nothing. They must be beaten low with underhanded comments."

"Yup," Dylan said.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Alek exhaled, trying to suppress his rage. "Do the men onboard this ship feel the same?"

"Probably."

Alek closed his eyes. Why did the Darwinists seem to hate the Clankers so much? Surely, they understood that these people were the same before the war as they were now. "Do you think like that?" he asked his Darwinist friend.

"Nope," Dylan responded, tapping his finger and staring intently at his sketchpad.

"We should do something. Don't you agree?"

"Aye."

The archduke pondered the situation. "I wish there was some way to perhaps let your men know that not all Clankers are bad. Can you think of something?"

Dylan shook his head slightly. "Mm-mm." His gaze had yet to shift upward since the whole conversation had begun, but from the looks of it, he was deep in thought about the topic.

To be honest, Dylan reminded Alek a bit of a puppet at the moment, like a servant of his, answering always what he wanted to hear. But he knew Dylan wasn't like that. And the boy was clearly engrossed in what he had to say.

"That's too bad," Alek said with a sigh. "Hmm…if only we could make the men see that they are no different than the Clankers out there fighting. Heh, many were forcibly conscripted, too, I'm sure. They want this war about as much as we do."

"Mmhm."

Alek continued. "And perhaps, if we could convince these men, they might spread their opinions on to others. And those shall spread it on to others!"

"Aye."

The prince's eyes were alit in fervor. "Then, perhaps word might reach your government that the men do not wish to fight against men like themselves. And perhaps, the Clankers shall hear of this viewpoint as well, and learn not to hate the Darwinists."

"Aye."

"And perhaps, if this continues, both governments shall realize that this war in itself is futile and pointless, and they shall hold a summit! And at this summit, all world leaders partaking in the war, and maybe even those who aren't, shall attend, and discuss the war. And they might just rule that it is a waste, of lives and money, and they shall call it off!"

"Mmhm."

"And in the end, it shall all be traced to us. I will be given my rightful position in Austria, and you will be a war hero! Everything would work out splendidly! Just think, Dylan. We could stop the war!"

Dylan leapt into the air and fist-pumped, shouting out a joyous, "Brilliant!"

"You think so?" Alek asked.

Ignoring the prince, Dylan picked up his pencil and began to erase part of his sketch. "That's it!" he muttered to himself. "It was the shading! _That's_ why everything seemed so barking off!"

Alek's jaw dropped. "Dylan!" he exclaimed.

The Darwinist jolted his head up with a frown, eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Were you saying something?"

Alek shut his eyes and smacked his palm to his forehead. "Nevermind, Dylan. Just…nevermind."

…

Hey all! Alrighty then, there's the new chapter! As for continuations of the song drabbles, I'll probably do them in between normal chapters, so about every other one. 'Kay?

Holly Marie Fowl: Thanks! (And yes, go Gleeks!) ;P

Pony: Haha, true! And thanks! ;)

Rue-the-Marauder: I'll be sure to write continuations for each. ;D Look for them in future chapters!

HopelessRomantic: Sure thing! And yeah, the idea of a little Deryn is pretty cute. ;)

Music Antoinette: Haha, no worries! Of course, I highly recommend you go see or read Harry Potter (it really is a great series), but it's cool if you haven't. And yeah, with the song for number three, it really couldn't be about anyone else but Deryn. ;D

JayBird45: Thanks for the explanation! Don't worry, I understood it all perfectly. ;D You really helped me there. And yep, I am indeed American. And thanks for mentioning the 'mom' thing. I searched for it, and corrected the mistake, as the characters really wouldn't say that. And thanks for the compliments!

See you all in the next chapter!


	17. You Can Fly!

Alright, here's chapter seventeen! This one's a continuation of the third song drabble.

(Side Note: After a couple of confused reviewers, I'll just say quickly that Alek is not aware Deryn's a girl in this. This is my fault, as I made it a little confusing on accident, so I added him calling her Dylan at one point. My apologies for the confusion.)

You Can Fly!

"_When there's a smile in your heart  
There's no better time to start."_

_~Peter Pan_

"Come on, Alek, it's not so bad!" Deryn reassured the nervous archduke.

He pointed to the Huxley, then back to her. "You're joking, right?"

The middy shook her head. "Come _on_! Are you a ninny? Remember, you're the one who wanted to do this in the first place."

"Yes, but apparently I didn't think it through! I'm not harnessing myself to that thing!"

Deryn sighed, and gave the prince a look. "You're scared."

"Am not," Alek retorted, though his skittish glances towards the Huxley proved his fear.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Are we really going to stand here squabbling like children?" Alek pointed out, and Deryn shrugged.

"Aye," she said. "That is, until you learn to not back out of promises."

Alek scoffed. "I made no such promise."

Mimicking Alek's voice, Deryn said, "'I vould very much like to fly in one of your balloonz or zuch. It vould be an interezting experienze, being alone in ze air.' Barking coward."

Stiffening, Alek grabbed the harness on the Huxley. "Very well. I _will_ fly." Muttering under his breath, he added, "And my accent is _not_ that thick."

Deryn, smirking, began to hook Alek to the Huxley. "Wait," he commanded, and she stopped. "Alright, I admit it. I'm terrified."

Her gaze softened. "Don't worry, Alek," she told him. "You'll be just fine, I promise."

"Can't two people ride this thing?" he asked, and Deryn smiled. That would be fun, just the two of them, but that wasn't possible...at least not in a Huxley.

Answering him, she said, "The Huxley can't support both our weights. A balloon could, though."

"Don't you have any of those onboard the ship?" Alek asked, pleading.

Deryn shook her head solemnly, then laughed at his grimace. "Actually, we do. Come on, I'll take you to them."

He quickly unhooked himself and followed her, berating the Scottish native. "Why wouldn't you tell me that in the first place?"

Smiling slyly, Deryn winked at him. "I figured watching you floundering up in a Huxley would be dead fun."

Narrowing his eyes, Alek seemed sorely tempted to whack her.

"Here we are!" she announced, as they arrived in a hangar, with an open ceiling. "The balloon's ours to use, since they're hardly needed. We mostly just use Huxleys for stuff."

Pulling the balloon towards the center, she vaulted herself into its basket. "Come on!" she said, holding out her hand and helping Alek inside it.

"How does this work?" he asked, looking around.

Deryn tapped furnace in the middle. "This here sends flames up, and they expand the balloon, causing it to rise in the air." She started it up, and a jet of flame roared to life. Alek reflexively took a step back, then watched in awe as the balloon began to rise.

Her eyes glistened sadly as she recalled a similar experience with her father.

…

_"Da! Da! We're flying! We're really really flying!" Deryn exclaimed, pointing out at the distant streets of Glasgow. "Everything looks so tiny!" she added. "Why did everything shrink, Da?"_

_Chuckling, her father answered, "It's because we're so far away now."_

_"I think I can just about touch one of the buildings," Deryn said, leaning out the side of the balloon._

_Her father quickly grabbed her and pulled her back in. "Whoa there, kiddo. Don't want you to fall now, do we?"_

_"Did Jaspert fall?" Deryn asked._

_"Now why would you say that?" her father questioned back._

_The little Deryn shrugged. "'Cause, people say that weird people were dropped on their heads as kids."_

_"Now Deryn, that's not a nice thing to say about your brother," her father scolded gently, but he was really biting back laughter. Her comment really amused him._

_"Hmph." She pouted, but her mood quickly faded as she spotted an airship in the distance. "Da! Da! It's a flying whale!"_

_"Indeed it is," her father replied. "If I'm not mistaken…I think that's the _Daedalus_ there. If it's in town, I bet its twin ship isn't far away."_

_Deryn piped up, "What's its twin ship called?"_

_"The _Icarus_," he answered._

_"Like the Greek myths?"_

_Surprised, he looked down at his daughter. "And how do you know of such things?"_

_Puffing out her chest with pride, Deryn declared, "'Cause I'm barking brilliant!"_

_Her father winced. "Now now, little lady, it's not polite to be saying words like that."_

_She huffed. "But why not? I'm bloody well allowed to, aye!"_

_He placed a gentle hand over her mouth, and she glared up at him indignantly. "Where did you hear such things?" he asked._

_Deryn shrugged. "Jaspert says them all the time."_

_"Oh does he now?"_

_Deryn nodded fiercely. "Aye. He says people who don't cuss are clart-filled bum-rags."_

_"Alright, that's enough, then," her father said, then gave her a wink. "I'll be sure to talk to your brother, but in the meantime, do me a favor, and please don't say any of that stuff around your mother. Alright?"_

_"Alright," she said obediently, then proceeded to look over the edge of the rim again. Spotting a fabricated beast she'd never seen before, her jaw dropped. "Barking spiders," she breathed, and her father leaned over her to see what had surprised her so._

_"Oh, that. That's an elephantine."_

_"It's so _big_!" she exclaimed, and he nodded._

_"Indeed," he said. "But not as big as the airships, right?"_

_"Right," she parroted. She fell silent, but only for a moment. "Da, how are we flying?"_

_He said, "I was wondering when you would ask that." He pointed to the furnace in the middle of the balloon. "This here shoots up flames. The hot air swells the balloon, and makes it rise. And here we are, flying! But remember. Not just anyone can fly."_

_"Really? Why not?"_

_He tapped a finger to his head. "You've got to have air-sense. Some people just don't have a head for heights."_

_Deryn scoffed. "Ha! Well, I have air-sense, right?"_

_Laughing, he ruffled her hair. "Indeed you do." Turning, his hand accidently hit the hot metal around the furnace. "Blisters!" he swore, and held his hand close to his chest._

_"Blisters!" Deryn repeated happily, causing her father to groan._

_As he wrapped a cloth around his hand, he begged, "_Please_ don't ever say such stuff to your mother."_

_Deryn, grinning happily, ignored him, and continued watching the ground roll by._

…

"So?" Deryn asked. "What do you think?" They were in the air now, tethered to the _Leviathan_ by a rope in the hangar.

Alek smiled, his hair blowing in the wind. "It's amazing, Dylan. Why does it feel different than being on the airship?" he asked.

"Because out here, you can really feel all the elements. Inside the ship, you're a wee bit more sheltered," Deryn answered. Watching him, she placed her hand out to lean against the basket. Unfortunately, she wasn't really paying attention, and instead, placed her hand on the heated metal. Yelping, she pulled her hand away and shouted, "Blisters!" Shaking her hand, she wrapped the bottom of her shirt around it.

Alek's eyes widened in alarm. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

She rolled her eyes. "Are you daft? I just scorched my hand to a crisp!" At Alek's panicked look, she laughed. "I'm just messing with you. It stings a squick, but since it didn't take my da long to recover after he did the exact same thing, I think I'll be good."

He raised an eyebrow. "Your father did the exact same thing?"

Deryn nodded, chuckling. "Aye, and he swore the same word, too, if I remember correctly. So anyways, I take it you like it up here?"

Alek said, "Yes. It's beautiful up here."

Deryn glanced over the rim. "Hey, look! There's Newkirk! Oh, wait…" She and Alek winced at the same time as he tripped and met the ground with his face. "He'll be alright," Deryn said nonchalantly, then turned to watch the sky.

Alek followed her gaze, and they watched the clouds silently.

Deryn thought to herself, _Flying truly is amazing._

…

Alright! This one didn't have too much of a plot, but I really just wanted to get into flying…And I wanted to have some more of little Deryn. So there's your request filled, Music Antoinette. ;D And Rue-the-Marauder, I'll get yours next, I promise. ;)

Holly Marie Fowl: Thanks! And you know, I hadn't really noticed that, but since you mention, you're quite right about the roles being switched. Well, neither of them are your stereotypical girl and guy. ;D

Pony: Thanks! I'm glad you thought it was funny, and that it's one of your favorites!

Penelope Wendy Bing:

1. Thank you! I'm glad you thought I did a good job. ;)

2. I love Alek's obliviousness. It's always fun to read in the books, and it's extremely fun to write. But you're right, that helps make his characters so great. ;D And you're right about the quote and title. To be honest, I choose my quotes first, and then base an idea off of them, but sometimes the idea evolves a long ways from the quote. Honestly, the title really doesn't work, but I wasn't really sure of what else to put. And I kept the quote, because it was the original inspiration for the story. Still, I'm glad you liked the story! ;)

The Chosen One of Randomness: Thanks! I'm glad I made you laugh, and that I managed to capture the personalities. ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: Haha, you're probably right! I'm sure they goof off, we just don't get to see it much in the books. And yep. The shading is very important. ;P

HopelessRomantic: Haha, really? I can just picture the poor, confused teacher. xP Anyways, I'm glad you liked it!

JayBird45: The Beatles rock. Anyways, thanks! And really? Your friend did something like that at lunch? Haha, that would've been funny to see! ;D

See you all in chapter eighteen!


	18. Snow Day

Alright. In honor of the snow day I've gotten here (I just found it's been extended to two!), I shall write a snow day for our favorite characters! How's that sound?

Snow Day

_"A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship." _

_~Markus Zusak_

"Are we landing?" Alek asked, watching through a porthole as the _Leviathan _slowly descended.

Dylan, standing beside him and looking over his shoulder, answered, "Aye. You can hardly expect the poor beastie to fly _all_ the way to Japan without some sort of break."

Turning, Alek faced Dylan and raised an eyebrow. "So we're landing in the middle of Siberia?" he asked.

The middy shrugged. "Don't look at me, you ninny, they're not my orders." He jerked his thumb behind him. "The boffin and the lady boffin both agree that the _Leviathan_ needs a rest. It'll just be a few hours or so. Why the long face?"

Alek sighed. "Should we really be taking a detour? We're losing time, and this war is spreading constantly."

Dylan clapped him on the shoulder. "Lighten up! Plus, we'll get to go out in the snow! Sounds like a bloody good time to me!"

"What, do you not get snow in Scotland?" Alek questioned.

Dylan scoffed. "Are you daft? Of course we get snow in Scotland!"

"Then why are you so _excited_?"

The Darwinist shrugged. "I like snow." And without further ado, he took off running towards the _Leviathan_'s exit. Alek looked back out the window and realized they had landed. Shaking his head, he followed Dylan's path.

As he began to walk out of the giant sky whale, he yelped in surprise as a snowball hit him straight in the face. Brushing it off, he glared at Dylan, who was leaping up and shouting, "Nailed it! I hit that dead center, didn't I? Bloody brilliant, I am."

Alek raced out into the snow and scooped some up himself, hurling it at Dylan. It soared wide, missing by almost a meter. "Ha, you call that a shot?" Dylan mocked, and Alek covered his face as another snowball splatted against his arms.

Narrowing his eyes, he formed another snowball and tossed it at the prancing Darwinist. "Oof!" Dylan exclaimed as the ball whammed into his stomach.

Laughing, Alek said, "Who has bad aim?"

"Still you!" Dylan shouted, throwing another snowball which Alek barely avoided. Before Alek could retaliate, Dylan said, "Truce, for now! Let's build some forts, and then we'll resume the attack!"

"Very well. But don't expect me to take it easy on you!" Alek warned.

Dylan stuck his tongue out. "Aye, 'cause that's _exactly_ what you've been doing. Suuure."

Ignoring him, the archduke ran a distance from Dylan, then got down on his hands and knees and began to pack the snow around him into a sturdy wall. He almost laughed, realizing how childlike the two were behaving right now, playing like little children, but after so long onboard the ship, he realized it was good for them to take time to let their transport rest.

Glancing upwards, he spotted Doctor Barlow peering out a window. She appeared to be chuckling at their antics. To his surprise, he realized Volger was with her two. Had they been talking? Either way, Volger did not seem as pleased as 'the lady boffin' at Alek's behavior.

"You ready yet?" a voice marked by a Scottish burr called out.

"Just about!" Alek replied, patting down the top of his 'fort'. The _Leviathan_ had landed on a flat plain, covered completely in snow, and he could clearly see Dylan finishing up a fairly crude barricade, about half his height.

Alek's, on the other hand, was built with great efficiency. It was smooth, went up to his stomach, and continued in a semicircle around him. Seeing Dylan still had a little bit of work yet, Alek began to form a stack of snowballs, to be used when they started their fight once more.

A snowball sailing over his head caused him to poke his eyes above his barricade to see Dylan diving behind his fort for cover. Judging by the footprints on the snow, he guessed correctly that the middy had run out and thrown the snowball. "Cheater!" Alek called.

"You can't be serious! I can't throw a bloody snowball that far!" Dylan shouted back.

He realized the Darwinist was right. Neither of them could throw the distance between their two forts. Smiling, Alek sat back. Dylan wasn't a very patient person, and he assumed that the Darwinist would soon launch an attack, rather than waiting for Alek.

He was right. The crunch of snow on boots alerted him to Dylan's presence, and he grabbed a snowball and chucked it at Dylan, before ducking back behind his fort. "Agh!" Alek could tell from the noise that he'd managed to score a hit.

Jumping up again, Alek launched another projectile at his friend, but was knocked backwards by the force of Dylan's hitting him square in the shoulder. Laughing, Dylan ran around his barricade and began to bombard Alek from his other, unsheltered side. Grinning from ear to ear, Alek quickly used up his stock of snowballs, and for every time he managed to hit Dylan, he was hit in turn and more. After pelting their last snowballs, Alek sprang at Dylan and knocked him to the ground.

The two wrestled for a bit before breaking free and lying on their backs in the snow. Alek lay there, staring up at the sky, then turned his head as he sensed movement beside him.

Dylan was moving his arms and legs to create a snow angel.

Alek began to mimic his movements, and the two stood up and stepped away to survey their handy work. Alek noticed that his snow angel was, annoyingly, smaller than his friend's.

"Not bad, aye?" Dylan asked.

"Not bad at all," Alek replied.

Alek watched as Dylan furrowed his brows in thought, then smacked his hand to his forehead. "Barking spiders! We forgot to build a snowman!"

The Darwinist darted away and began to roll a piece of snow around. "I'll take care of the base, you do the middle!" he shouted, and Alek obeyed.

Once they'd both finished, with Dylan's base about one and half feet long and tall, Alek set his on top. A shout from the _Leviathan_ caused them to turn their heads. Dylan swore, and Alek was tempted to himself. They'd lost track of time, and the ship would be leaving soon.

Scooping up some snw, Dylan formed it into a ball and placed it on top. "It'll have a wee head," he said, used his finger to dig two holes for eyes, and trace a mouth on it.

Alek stepped up and dug three holes in the middle of the body. "The buttons," he explained, and the two stood back.

"He looks…lopsided," Alek said, and indeed, their snowman was tilting towards the right a little.

Dylan flapped a hand. "Aye. Well, it doesn't matter. Now come on, before we get left behind!" He took off running towards the ship, and Alek followed at a steady jog.

As they got themselves warmed up onboard the ship with steaming mugs of hot drinks, Alek smiled. Snow days were quite fun, especially if you had a friend to share them with.

…

And there's chapter eighteen!

Call me Mad AKA Ninja Fish: Thanks! And no, he doesn't know. Sorry for the confusion, I went back and fixed it. ;D

Frogster: Thanks! Little Deryn was fun to write. ;D And nope, he didn't know, but I went back and fixed it. Sorry for the confusion! And those are some good ideas. Maybe a should put Alek in a Huxley…and Deryn in a walker sounds like a fun idea!

Pony: Thanks! And haha, really? That's cool, I'm glad I used a vocab. word of yours, and that you understood it better. See, school is good for something after all! It makes reading fanfiction more enjoyable. ;P

Holly Marie Fowl: Haha, I'm glad you liked it! That was a fun line to write, and I love your add-on. ;P

NoAccount: No problem! Real life comes first, always. (And you play cello? That's awesome! I love its sound. ;D) And thanks! Ah, yes, poor Newkirk. Everything does happen to him, because it's just so easy to cause accidents with him.

Penelope Wendy Bing: Thanks! The accent jibe came about after I listened to a sample of the audio recording of Behemoth, which Scott Westerfeld has on his website. Anyways, the narrator did accents for both Deryn and Alek, and that made me think. You don't really see Alek's in the book, because it's not that thick, but it's still there. So I thought I'd have Deryn make fun of it a little. Also, I love little Deryn! And I have a feeling she really would be a foulmouth, even then. And you're spot on with her mother. I can't imagine the trouble Deryn got in when her mother found out.

JayBird45: Yep! It's little Deryn! Haha, sorry about that! I hate it when songs get stuck in your head. And thanks, I'm glad it was worth it!

Rue-the-Marauder: Thanks! And yeah, haha, I don't think they'd be all that concerned. After all, I get the feeling stuff like that happens often. ;P

See you all in chapter nineteen!


	19. Hoist the Colours

Here's another song drabble continuation, to number seven. Sorry for taking so long to update!

(Thanks to Music Antoinette for pointing out that I forgot Hoffman! I had the nagging feeling that something, or rather, someone was being left out, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. I've gone back and fixed it now!)

Hoist the Colours

"_Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die."_

_~Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End_

The decision had been made. He and his men were sentenced to death. No trials. Not in the midst of a war.

Deryn had a very strong urge to punch something.

After all Alek had done for them? And what about Klopp? A nice man, if ever there was one. Bauer was a good man too! And good old Hoffman! Volger…okay, Deryn could really care less if they strung him up.

But still! Four of the five didn't deserve this…_All five_, she admitted reluctantly to herself, as Volger hadn't really done anything. Except find out her bloody secret, but he hadn't told anyone. Well, she hoped he hadn't.

However, no matter if they were at fault or not (which they most certainly weren't) they didn't deserve to be hanged without a trial. And there was no barking way Deryn would let them string Alek up.

It was all the fault of the captain. Deryn had certainly lost all respect for Hobbes, although Dr. Barlow had told her that he was only doing as he'd been commanded. No matter. Deryn needed someone to place the blame on, at least for now, and Hobbes was the primary choice.

She stood amongst the rest of the _Leviathan_'s crew, and she noticed, a bit smugly, that not all of the men were looking very pleased at the occasion.

Deryn gulped as the drums began to sound, and Alek and his men were marched out. The British guards led the five of them onto the platform, and she closed her eyes as they put the noose around Alek's neck.

Barking spiders, if she didn't do anything, she'd noose herself!

Without a second thought, Deryn leapt forward, plunging through the crowd and shoving all the spectators aside as she fought to reach Alek. Flicking out her pocketknife, she found herself making double time.

None of the crowd had any desire to face a half-crazed middy with a knife.

Reaching the platform, she ignored the shouts from the guards and cut Alek and his men loose. Darting forward, she snatched up a pistol from a guard's belt, then held it steady, its barrel aimed straight at the guard's chest. The poor man froze, staring down the mouth of the weapon.

Deryn motioned for the Clankers to get a move on, and they did. All but one.

If it had been any other situation, Deryn would have groaned at the fact that Alek refused to leave. Still, she was a bit glad of the company.

Sneaking a glance behind her, she saw Klopp and Bauer acting as twin battering rams, while Hoffman deflected attackers away from the two. When she saw Volger apprehend a sword, she smiled in fiendish delight.

Now they had the upperhand.

Well, not really, of course, but none of them were willing to shoot while Deryn was holding one of their guards hostage. The man may not have been a captain, but he was young, and well-liked, and none of the guard could know that Deryn had no intention of harming him.

"Dylan, stop! This is madness!" the captain shouted.

He really did make a good scapegoat for Deryn's anger in this situation.

Instead of answering, she turned to Alek. "Never shall we die, aye?" she asked him.

"Aye," he agreed, and together they took off running, the British guard hot on their heels.

Thanks to the pathway Alek's men had cleared, it was a straight run. Now, though, the guards were willing to fire, and shots cracked above them. Deryn flinched as one hit the brick wall just to her right, spraying rubble and broken stones.

Quickly, they turned around the corner of the court building, Deryn firing a warning shot behind her. Hopefully that would scare them for a few seconds.

The moment they burst onto the street, Deryn sprinted forward and leaped onto a cab, one that was similar to the all-terrain carriage that had greeted her the day she tried out to be an airman. A similar lupine creature pulled it along, and Deryn flashed a grin at the driver. "Mind if I borrow this?" she asked the stunned man, then shoved him, motioning for Alek and his men to get onboard. They did so quickly, shutting the carriage door tightly, and Deryn whipped the reins, shouting a quick "Sorry!" behind her to the stricken man upon the cobblestones.

Spurred into action, the lupine creature began to race down the streets, and Deryn had to hold tight to steer the beast.

Behind her, she could hear the pounding of hooves as the guards started to give chase, but she had a head start. That didn't stop the guards from firing their own guns as well, and she ducked down. While the Clankers were somewhat safe in the carriage, she was in the open at the helm of their ride. Spotting a narrow side street, she yanked the reins and the carriage turned abruptly, scattering passerby and entering the alley.

The sides of the carriage scraped against the walls in a tight fit, but they soon shot out the other end, onto an empty street. Perfect.

Halting it, Deryn commanded, "Get out. Now." As soon as the Clankers had gotten out, she whipped the reins again, hard, then took a flying leap out of the carriage as the lupine sprinted down the street.

She landed awkwardly, rolling a bit to stop herself, then got to her feet and pointed towards a much smaller alley. "Let's head down there, then mingle with the crowd."

"Mingle?" Volger asked disdainfully, gesturing at her clothes. While the Clankers were alright, with their unassuming outfits (it wasn't as if they wore special clothes to be hung), she was dressed in her airman's uniform, and cursed.

"Pretend I'm off duty," she snapped, then began to stride down the alley, tossing her gun down, but sheathing her knife. "Plus, we won't be in the open long. Now, hurry it up, if you don't mind, unless you want the British guard to catch us."

Alek caught up to her, his men following behind, and Volger reluctantly parting with his stolen sword. "What do you have planned, Dylan?" he asked, curious, glancing warily behind them. Footsteps and shouts indicated that the guard had already entered the side street. They had to get out of the alley, _now_.

They entered the next street, a busier one, and Deryn chose not to answer Alek, instead hailing a cab. "Do you mind taking us to that hotel by the Thames?" she asked politely, giving off a calm demeanor despite her heart racing, and the cabbie smiled.

"Certainly. All aboard, then!"

Deryn let the Clankers onboard first, hissing to each of them, "Don't talk." They nodded mutely, aware that their accents would be conspicuous, and together, the six of them rode through the streets of London, unassuming tourists.

Safe inside the carriage, Deryn smirked as she saw the guards running down one of the streets they'd trashed. The bum-rags didn't think to check the carriage, and for that, she was glad.

At last, they reached the hotel she'd asked for, and piled out of the carriage. Fumbling, Deryn gritted her teeth and paid the cabbie a fair chunk of what she had in her purse.

Walking into the hotel, she got them booked in the cheapest room they had, which was luckily empty (it wasn't as if war was a popular tourist season), and together the group of fugitives entered their room and locked the door.

Suddenly tired, Deryn leaned against the door and sighed. "Well, that was barking exhausting!"

Alek simply stared at her. "Why?" he asked simply.

She rolled her eyes. "Why, you ask? 'Cause we just escaped from the British guard!"

Alek shook his head. "Not that. I meant, why help us?"

Deryn raised an eyebrow. "That's what friends do, right?"

Alek still wasn't convinced. "You're on the run, now. They'll be looking for you! Dylan, what were you thinking?"

Deryn hmphed. "I would've thought you'd be grateful I saved your daft bums."

"We are!" Klopp and Bauer chorused together in the background while Hoffman nodded, and she smiled widely at them. Their English was not as good as Deryn's German, but they could still manage very simple talk, and with their muddled English and her muddled Clankertalk, they could sort of make their way through a conversation.

Volger glared haughtily at Deryn, but he didn't insult her. To her surprise, he said, "I do not like it, but we owe you our lives. Is there anything we can do to repay the favor?" Despite his demeanor, she knew his words were genuine.

Alek nodded vigorously in agreement. "Dylan, there must be something we can do! Anything!" His eyes alit as he realized the perfect answer. "You can come with us, to Austria!"

Deryn glared at him scathingly. "Won't you be recognized?" she asked. "After you got your picture plastered all over the papers?"

The prince's face fell. "Oh…you're right. I suppose we can't go back there, can we?"

Deryn shook her head, about as crestfallen as he was. They were on the run, with hardly any money, and nowhere to go.

Heaving a large sigh, Volger drew everyone's attention towards him. "I'd rather not, but I suppose it is the best option, given the situation."

"What is?" Alek asked curiously.

Volger gave a sardonic smile. "How does America sound to you?"

Deryn blinked in surprise. "I never thought of that!"

"Of course you wouldn't," Volger replied dryly, and Deryn pointedly ignored him.

Alek was just as startled as she was, but he found his mouth twisting into a wry grin as well. "America. Why not?"

Deryn looked between the lot of them. Klopp, Bauer and Hoffman each voiced a quick "_Ja_."

Deryn shrugged, furrowed her brow as if she were concentrating hard, then glanced at Volger, then to Alek, then back to Volger. "How's the food?"

…

Sorry, this was definitely AU, following along the lines of the song drabble, and didn't have all that much of Deryn and Alek interacting. The story didn't really follow along what I normally write, but eh. Also, thinking about it, in their situation, America really would be the best place for them to go. No one would be hunting them there, and three of them can speak the language fluently. (I had contemplated other European countries, but the language barrier would have been harder than America's, and they would have been closer to danger.)

Holly Marie Fowl: Thanks! And that stinks. Granted, the snow wasn't all that good, as now we don't have any days off after Spring Break. But it was fun, as we don't often get snow here! Hopefully it heads your way next. ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: Thanks! And darn, Deryn showed compassion? Hmm…that's not good. You're right, she is definitely more of a "No mercy, no surrender!" type person.

The Chosen One of Randomness: Thanks! And congrats! Snow days are awesome. ;D

Pony: Haha, thanks! I'm glad you liked it, even down to the tiny part with Barlow and Volger!

Penelope Wendy Bing: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and as for the throwing snowballs, I must've made it a bit confusing. I didn't come flat out and say it, but Deryn ran out from behind her fort and across part of the length to lob the snowball at Alek. And later, she actually ran the full distance and circled around his fort, to pelt him from a couple feet away. So no, they didn't throw the snowballs the full distance (which I imagined to be quite a ways), but I think I made it a bit confusing the way I wrote it. Sorry! And haha, the snow angel part was fun to write! She is bigger, though, so I figured Alek might be a little miffed at that. xP

JayBird45: Thanks! Unfortunately, we don't really have any sledding hills around my area. Dx Glad you and your friends do, though! Sounds like it was a lot of fun! Er, sorry about making you miss snow! ^^; But I'm glad you liked the part with the snow angel!

Frogster: Haha, the picture of Volger being hit by a snowball had me laughing for about a minute straight! Anyways, thanks! And yep, the U.S. really did get hit by a ton of snow lately. Still, snow days are awesome. ;D

Music Antoinette: Thanks! I'm glad you think I got them in character. ;)

NoAccount: Thanks! I'm glad it brings back fond memories for you. And yep, it really is too bad they didn't have a sled, but imagined to be the area they landed in to be quite flat, though there could have been hills nearby. Congrats on having had a snow day as well!

SignedAnon: Aww…that stinks. Dx Maybe you'll get a snow day soon?

See you all in the next chapter!


	20. Shelved Sister

Okay, I don't normally do romance. That's kinda the point of this fanfic. You know, friendship stuff. But today _is _Valentine's Day, and one of my reviewers requested a bit of romance, like some one-sided Deryn/Alek. So, uh, I tried that…from Alek's point-of-view. But with it being one-sided in that Deryn likes him, since that's how the book goes. And yes. Anyways, thanks to silent romantic for the quote (though I also made sure to look up the original quoter), and the suggestion. ;D

Shelved Sister

"_Love is friendship caught on fire."_

_~Bruce Lee_

Alek closed his eyes and sighed, head against the pillow, arms and legs sprawled out across the bed. Never in his short time onboard the _Leviathan _did he imagine he would ever actually _want_ Dr. Barlow to come and give him some new errand.

And Dylan wasn't here to keep him company, as, though Dr. Barlow didn't have any errands for _Alek_, she had plenty for Dylan. Currently, Alek guessed she had Dylan off walking Tazza.

Alek really wished Dylan would stop by and chat for a few minutes. The prince rarely found himself bored, always having _something_ to occupy his time, but this was ridiculous.

A knock sounded on his door, and he bolted upright, lunging for the knob. _Please be Dylan!_ He thought, and grinned widely when he saw his friend standing outside the door.

Inviting himself in, Dylan promptly fell onto the bed, groaning. "All day, mate! All bloody day long! The boffin's had me running this to there, and that to over there, and whatever to who-knows-where, and then making me walk Tazza for however long, and so I came back with Tazza and listened at the door to hear her talking to the captain, and I spotted my ultimate chance! So I popped in, gave a cheery ''Ello! Finished walking Tazza, got middy duties, have to go, bye!' and waltzed out of there before they could say anything, then took off sprinting down the hallway at a dead run to get back here to hide and rest." Dylan took a deep breath, and winked at Alek, adding, "Hope we don't get in too much trouble!"

"We?" the prince asked incredulously, and darted to the door to shut and lock it.

Dylan nodded. "Aye. 'We.' After all, you're the one harboring me."

Alek glowered. "I should kick you out right this instance."

Dylan smirked, placing his hands behind his head. "Aye," he said. "But you won't."

Sighing, Alek sat down on a chair. "You're right," he admitted, slightly annoyed. "I won't."

Sitting up, Dylan said, "Don't act so barking glum, your princeliness! You've got me here, what could possibly go wrong?"

"Everything," Alek muttered, and Dylan rolled his eyes, his grin still plastered on his face.

Thinking, Dylan asked, "You ever wonder about home?"

Alek raised an eyebrow, then allowed himself a small smile. "All the time," he said quietly.

"Me too," Dylan agreed.

Reminiscing, Alek began to talk again. "Remember when we were children, and life was so simple?"

"Aye. Playing with other kids, having fun, being daft. Did you have any friends at home?" Dylan asked, watching Alek.

The archduke nodded. "One. A girl, a serving girl," he said wistfully. "She was the only one who didn't treat me like a prince all the time. At first, I was a little mad at her behavior, thinking she was being rude. But soon, I began to accept it. Why should I be treated differently, just because I'm born of royal blood? She didn't treat me unkindly, either, like some of the staff. Those who didn't like that my mother was a commoner. She played with me, when no one else would." He looked up to see Dylan narrowing his eyes at him. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No," Dylan said, his voice clipped. "Did you like her?"

"Huh?" Alek asked.

Dylan prodded further. "Did you like her? As in, well, you know."

Alek's eyes widened. "No, no! We were just good friends!" Alek could've sworn he heard Dylan breathe a sigh of relief after that, but he ignored it. "What about you? Any childhood friends? Or anyone you like?"

"Well, actually," Dylan began, pausing. "There is someone I like."

Alek cocked his head. "Is it Lilit?" he asked slyly.

To his surprise, Dylan shook his head. "No," the Darwinist boy said. "It's someone else."

"A childhood friend?" Alek questioned.

"Um, yes," Dylan answered. "A childhood friend. H-she, uh, grew up with me. And…I really like h-er. She's kind, smart, brave, incredibly good-looking, and just…well, amazing."

"What's her name?"

"Um…Alexandra." To Alek's even greater surprise, Dylan blushed a little bit.

"You really like her, don't you?" he asked.

Dylan smiled sadly. "Aye. But I don't think it'll work out."

Alek asked, "Why?"

Dylan gave a short bark of laughter. "Just…it's barking complicated, is all." Trying to turn the conversation back towards Alek, he asked, "So, do you have anyone you like?"

Alek shook his head.

Dylan pressed forward. "Well, then, what type of girl are you into?" There was a strange gleam in the Darwinist's eyes, but Alek dismissed it.

Thinking, he realized his answer, and hesitated. "Go on, then!" Dylan urged. "Spit it out!"

"Well…"Alek began. "Actually, it's kind of embarrassing."

"What type of girl do you like?" Dylan's eyes seemed to bore holes in Alek's head.

The prince still hesitated, finally giving in. "Well, you see…if I were to like a girl…well, honestly, I think I'd rather she be…" He couldn't finish. It really was too embarrassing!

Dylan crossed his arms. His glare said plenty.

Sighing, Alek gave in. "I think…if I were to find my perfect girl, she'd probably be just like you."

Dylan's mouth fell open. He tried to speak, but couldn't find the words. Finally, he managed a strangled, "What?"

Alek shrugged, looking away from Dylan. "Well, you know, you're smart and brave, and I don't think I'd like a girl who was helpless and dependent very much. So, if you've got a sister exactly like you, or something, be sure to introduce us some time." He gave a faint smile, a bit from the sheer weirdness of the situation.

Chuckling a bit, Dylan gave a sly smile. "I might just have a sister tucked away somewhere," he said, his mood suddenly, bizarrely, incredibly light-hearted and cheerful. Whistling to himself, the middy jumped off the bed, then froze, thinking of one last question. "If I _did_ happen to have a sister, you do realize she'd be a commoner, right?"

Alek nodded. "Yes." He sighed heavily, and Dylan's face began to fall a bit. "But I think…if I really were to find someone like that, I think I'd do just about anything to be with her. Commoner or not, love has no bounds."

Dylan grinned. "You'd have to become good friends with her first."

"Of course. After all, love blooms from friendship."

"Aye!" Dylan agreed happily.

Alek said, "Just promise me you would never go all 'protective brother' on me, okay?"

Dylan closed his eyes and swore. "Barking spiders, protective older brothers," he muttered.

"What was that?" Alek asked.

"Nothing!" Dylan exclaimed innocently, then opened the door and shot out of it, far too quickly.

Shaking his head, Alek leaned back against his chair. So he had a sister, huh? A female Dylan?

Well, that would be interesting.

…

Alright then. That was actually quite fun to write. Alek being oblivious is just far too entertaining! ;P Anyways, happy Valentine's Day! I suppose.

Ezqueza: Haha, sure! I'll continue in one of the upcoming chapters, if you'd like! ;D

Rue-the-Marauder: Thanks! And sure, I can write about them in America as well. That _would_ be fun. ;)

AnimeFallingStar: Haha, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are definitely awesome! And no worries, fangirling is quite fun. ;D Anyways, thanks!

Music Antoinette: Morbidly funny, black humor; don't worry, it makes perfect sense. ;) And yup, Klopp really is kind of an anti-Volger. Anyways, thanks for pointing out I forgot Hoffman, and I'm glad you liked it!

Holly Marie Fowl: Wow, lots of Pirates fans out there! And I agree, I really want to see Clanker/Darwinist America too. ;D

Call me Mad AKA Ninja Fish: Thanks!

Penelope Wendy Bing: Haha, really? Although I have to admit, I always look forward to review replies as well. ;) Hmm…you make a very fair point there. I went back and added a little. Not much, but a little, as in a few things here and there. However, you are definitely right, it could have been fleshed out more. I admit, I wrote it in a bit of a hurry, which is never good. I'll try to be more careful of that in the future, though, if I write more action fics like that one. And yeah, Volger is such a silly man. And yet incredibly smart. I still can't figure him out. ;P

HopelessRomantic: Thanks! And Deryn's still Dylan in it. Really, Deryn's always going to be Dylan, unless I expressly say otherwise in the chapter. You're right, it would be a good time for her to…'come out'. xD As for Volger, well, that was what I figured Deryn would be thinking in a situation like that. Since she really doesn't like him either.

Pony: Thanks! And from the responses I've gotten, yep! I'll continue it! And yikes, that would be sad if they died. But that's why Deryn was there to rescue them!

purplerose34:

1. Thanks! Haha, I like that one too. ;D

2. Thanks! And haha, nice. xP Probably a bit more of a Deryn thing to say, though. Afterall, we're unfortunate enough to not be able to live in the Leviathan universe. Oh how I wish…

silent romantic: There might be more. ;) Anyways, I took your suggestion, and used your quote. It is Valentine's Day, after all, so if I were to do that, now would be the perfect time. Did you like it?

Ailat: Yay, you're back! That stinks, about being grounded. Anyways, I'm glad you liked it! And nice pun, by the way . ;D

JayBird45: Haha, I'm glad you liked it! And what you point out is very valid. I haven't done it yet, but I intend to go back and tweak that soon, though I will keep it in one instance (the line saying that the British guard was hot on their heels.) I'll only keep it there, because that's pretty much the moment where Deryn ends up on the opposing side. But as for the rest, it doesn't matter if you're being picky, it's a very valid point. ;) Thanks!

T-Switzy: Thanks! And yep, I'm completely open to requests. The World's Fair, huh? I'll be sure to look into it, and you can expect it as a chapter fairly soon! ;)

See you all in chapter twenty-one!


	21. Hoist the Flags

Okay, then, time for the continuation of Hoist the Colours! I was really surprised, actually, at how many wanted to see that continued, so I hope I do all right here. After all, there isn't much to work on about America in the books, except that it's neutral, and has a fusion of Clanker and Darwinist technology.

Hoist the Flags

"_Life can be bright in America,_

_If you can fight in America._

_Life is all right in America,_

_If you're all white in America."_

_~Westside Story Song "America"_

Stepping off the boat to enter America for the first time, Deryn decided right off the bat that they were all barking mad.

And she'd thought Malone was a bit cracked in the attic.

After over a week at sea, she, Alek, Volger, Klopp, Bauer, and Hoffman had all been rushed out of the boat and through immigration services on Ellis Island. The whole place was an absolute _mess_.

Everyone had their papers in order, though they all had to undergo a name change to slip past the sensors. After all, they were wanted men…and one woman, though that was yet undisclosed.

Deryn didn't mind the name change they'd thought of back in London, having already changed her identity once before. Now, she was John Dylan Warren, who occasionally went by his middle name, Dylan.

Alek's first name had been obvious, and they chose a simple last name as well. Alexander Jones.

Volger was Alexander's uncle, a mister Evan Jones.

Otto Klopp was John's stepfather, Oscar Fielden, whose brother was known as Henry Baker, alias Hans Bauer. And lastly, Hoffman was Charles Ashmore, Alexander's other uncle, on his mother's side, as opposed to Evan Jones, the brother of his father.

All were refugees of the war, seeking a new home in America.

And the Americans just passed them through. Deryn could have sworn they'd check over them, was terrified they'd ask for more information besides what was on the fake papers they'd had forged in London, and was dead scared that for some reason, they'd have to do some kind of safety measures that would involve taking off her clothes, in which case her secret would be revealed.

But no. They were waved through, with a 'Welcome to America!' and were free to start their new lives.

Barking mad, the lot of them.

Now, the six of them stood on a sidewalk in New York City, trying to figure out what to do with their lives. Between them, they had one briefcase, containing a fair bit of money Volger had managed to secure from Alek's second bank account, something that had been created under a false name for Alek to draw upon in times of need, and of which he would learn about when he turned eighteen. Naturally, Alek was shocked when he found out, but was also extremely glad. With the money his father had set aside, they had the funds to travel to America and start over in completely new lives.

"What in the name of barking spiders are we supposed to do now?" Deryn asked, glancing around her.

Volger answered. "Find an apartment big enough for the lot of us. After that, find jobs. Start over. Live new lives. Shouldn't be too hard now should it, _John_?"

Deryn rolled her eyes, saying, "Aye, I suppose so. Wonder where we should start looking."

Klopp pointed back towards the immigration offices, right behind them. They'd left a few minutes ago, but had stayed put, trying to decide what to do. "I see a…table in there, with papers." He tried to somehow mime his meaning, which was difficult to do, and glanced around. The man was a bit apprehensive at speaking German now that they were in America. Even if the Americans were neutral, he could bet they were probably on the Darwinists' side of the war.

Speaking quietly in German, Alek asked Klopp what he had meant to say, or that's what Deryn guessed. Though she knew some German, he was speaking so softly, she couldn't hear him. When Klopp said what he'd been having trouble saying earlier, Alek translated for Deryn. "He said he saw a desk in the immigration offices, with several brochures and the like. We may be able to find out information about housing there."

Walking inside again, they spent a while talking to the attendant, trying to figure out the most affordable place for them to go. Turns out, living in New York City wasn't cheap, but there were some nice apartments a ways outside of town. It'd be an expense cab ride, but well worth it, she assured. Plus, the area hosted a lot of immigrants coming from Europe, and was always welcome to more. There was a lot of work open in the area as well, as it was constantly expanding.

Thanking the attendant, the group left once more, heading for the streets to catch a cab.

Deryn almost couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the main streets for the first time.

The whole place was a mess, filled with traffic of all sorts. Mechanical Clanker transportation took up most of the street, with strange, thin, creatures that looked almost like a cross between a cat and a horse weaving their way through the traffic, supporting passengers on broad backs above the machines, the tall legs providing an astounding amount of support for being so thin and flexible.

Gaping, the six of them were jolted awake again as one of the creatures, with an empty back, pulled over to the side walk. It lowered itself, its knees folding in to allow the creature to come down to their level. A cheery man sitting between it shoulder blades greeted them. "Need a lift?" he asked. "Only one dollar a mile as fare."

"We would like that very much!" Alek said with a smile, only to have his expression turn to one of bewilderment as the man's face darkened.

Nudging his creature in the side with his foot, it raised itself up again. "Sorry," he said, "I just forgot I have business elsewhere."

Watching him go away, Deryn clenched her fists. That bum-rag. Alek, meanwhile, couldn't figure it out. "Why did he just up and leave?"

Deryn shook her head. "I can guess. Best let me do the talking from now on, alright? Your accents're a bit of a giveaway, and Clankers aren't exactly America's best friends at the moment."

Sighing, Alek did as she instructed. The group walked a ways, down a different street, and hailed another cab. "Mind giving us a lift?" Deryn called out, and the cab driver nodded, lowering the creature down.

As the creature whickered a bit, its cat ears twitching, the driver indicated a small ladder rolling off its back. "Climb on!" he said, waving for them to get aboard.

Once they were all on board, in a sort of basket type thing, really, a wooden box with sides and benches secured to the creature by ropes, the man between the creature's shoulders tapped his boot to the creature's flank, and it stood up. Holding the reins, the man began to chat affably to them as he steered the beastie through the streets of New York. "So, are you all new here?"

Deryn nodded, answering, "Aye. Just hopped over the Atlantic from London. Mind if I ask a question?"

"Not at all," the man replied.

"What the bloody blazes are we riding on?"

The cab driver laughed. "It's called a feliquus. Weird little thing, isn't it?"

Deryn snorted. "I wouldn't call this a wee beastie, sir, not in a long shot."

"True, you're right there, young man. Now, may I ask you a question in turn?"

"Not at all," she parroted his response back to him.

He chuckled. "Why're your friends back there so silent?"

Deryn paused a moment, then answered, "They don't know English too well. The lot of them are from Scandinavia, extended family, you know." Grinning, she pointed at her blonde hair, which could very well pass for Scandinavian ancestry.

The man chanced a glance backwards. "Don't look much like it."

Alek shifted uneasily in his seat, while Deryn answered, "Aye, 'cause they're not Scandinavian. They've got Russian ancestry, but their family's been in Sweden for generations now. Me, mine moved out to Scotland. These fellows ran into a rut back at home, got scared of the war, came to Scotland. My ma was on her deathbed, told me to move out to America. Heard it's a nice place, safer than Europe at the moment. So here we are!"

Grimacing, the man sighed. "I'm sorry, boy. I didn't realize you were an orphan."

Deryn felt bad for lying so much to the man, but it was necessary. "It's okay. I've had a little while now to get used to it."

"Well, if you lot ever need help getting around New York, I can give you the information to get a hold of me. Name's Greg Smith. Yours?"

"John," Deryn replied.

…

Greg dropped them off at the apartment building in the brochure, and they'd negotiated a fair price for a nice, three bedroom apartment. "Welcome home, lads," Deryn said, spreading her arms out.

Shutting the door behind them, Klopp set their briefcase down, and sat upon one of the chairs in the main room. The place was fully furnished, with the main room they first walked into being large, and spacious. There was a couch, some chairs, a table and dining chairs for eating, and a small kitchen. After exploring a bit, they discovered that there were two bathrooms, one branching off the living room, and one connecting two of the bedrooms.

After a while, it was decided on the living arrangements. The two bedrooms with the connecting bathroom had two beds in each of them, that could be pushed together or left separate. Volger and Klopp were staying in one of them, Bauer and Hoffman in the other.

Unfortunately, the last room had only one bed, a standard queen size. Deryn and Alek were to share it.

Sitting on the bed, head in her hands, Deryn really wished that Volger had taken her side. He knew she was a girl! Why on earth would he stand by, smirking, as she futilely tried to explain how maybe she could room with Klopp, or something, in one of the two bed rooms.

But no. All five decided that since the two were good friends, and both young boys, it might be more comfortable for them to room together. She was outnumbered.

Barking spiders.

The door creaked, and she looked up, only to see Volger, rather than Alek, standing in it.

Again, barking spiders.

"What do you want?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

He gave her a faint smile. "I was wondering when you were planning on revealing your little secret, _Mr._ Sharp. Or, rather, I suppose I should say _Mr._ Warren."

She groaned, and let her face fall back into her hands. "I don't know when," she explained slowly, "or how. Can you do me a favor and give me some time to figure it out?"

Volger's mouth twitched upwards in a one-sided smirk. "Very well. But if you don't do it soon, I will be forced to."

As he turned to leave, Deryn called out, "Stop." He faced her once more, raising an expectant eyebrow. She sighed. "Why would you give your bloody support to them about me rooming with Alek? With only _one bed_?"

Volger gazed at her, silent. He mulled over his answer for quite a while, to Deryn's annoyance. Finally, he said, "Two reasons, I suppose. One, I presume this might speed up the 'when' of your reveal. Two…Alek is not likely to be a prince anymore."

Deryn's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "What does that have to do with anything?"

The count shook his head. "Of course you wouldn't understand. Very well; know this. He isn't royal, nor do I expect he ever will be. If my suspicions are correct, after he finds out, when he learns to accept the fact, your _other_ secret might become his, and then not a secret at all. In which case, him being a commoner now shall further progress that."

Deryn blinked again. Wait, what?

Volger left at last, leaving Deryn hanging. She sat, mouth slightly open. Had he…just given her his blessing to court Alek once the former prince found out she was a girl?

What the hell?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. No, he couldn't have. Best thing to do was just forget he'd ever been there.

Like that'd be easy.

Again, the door opened, and she looked up yet again, exhaling in relief as she saw Alek this time. Shutting the door, he sat down on the bed next to her. "So, this is our new home?"

Deryn shrugged. "Aye, I suppose so."

Alek stared at the wall. "What about you?"

Turning, she raised an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"I don't have family at home. But you do. Your mother, your aunts, your cousin…what will they all think, now that you've disappeared?"

Deryn took a deep breath. "I don't know. I've thought about it, but…it's just hard to accept. They'll be worried. _Very_ worried. But I think they know I can take care of myself."

"And my men. Volger may not have any family, but I know Klopp and Bauer do, and I'm pretty sure Hoffman was dating someone before we left." Alek closed his eyes. "What about them? They already had to leave home to keep my safe. Now, they've been forced to flee across the ocean, and start over brand-new lives."

"Gah!" Deryn muttered, falling backwards to lie down on the bed. "Maybe we can contact them after the war's over. A few years from now, maybe. The police wouldn't care anymore, especially if we call under new names. Right, Alex?"

Alek frowned. "Aleks? Multi-oh, right. Alex." He followed Deryn's example, letting himself fall backwards and lying on the bed beside her. "It'll be hard. Even with the money my father set aside."

"Very hard," Deryn agreed. "But there's six of us here. Between the lot of us, I think we can make it. And someday, we won't all have to live together like this. We'll have our own separate lives again. Maybe Klopp, Bauer and Hoffman can go back. Volger will probably want to stay with you."

"And you?" Alek asked, turning his head to look at her.

Deryn closed her eyes. "I know exactly what I want. But I'll keep that to myself for now, thank you very much."

Alek studied her, then rolled off the bed and stood up. Stretching his arms a bit, he said, "I don't know about you, but I think we need to get some new clothes, and supplies for the home. Are you coming?"

Deryn got up as well. "Don't suppose I have a chance, do I?" she questioned.

"No, I suppose you don't," Alek responded, giving her a smile.

Brushing off her clothes, a shirt and trousers they'd bought back in England for her to wear over her middy's uniform (she refused to give it up), Deryn followed Alek out the door.

Their new lives were just about to begin.

…

I can't say I'm too pleased with this, for multiple reasons. One, is that there's _so much_ I can write about, following this plotline! I could have written about them back in London, getting ready to go to America, about their boat ride over, if it was even a boat they rode on, and so much more! As for being in America, there's also a ton. I felt like I covered some boring but necessary things in this chapter, but there's still so many ways this story can go! Plus, this is very obviously heading in the direction of romance, which doesn't fit into the rest of this fic. So, I've decided to ask you all something, which I will put in bold so I can ensure that those who don't read the author's notes will read this.

**Would you all like me to take this idea out of the drabble series, and make it into a full-blown series, separate from **_**Today**_**?**

And now for reviews!

Holly Marie Fowl: Haha, thanks!

Ezqueza: Thanks! And don't worry, I continued the other one. ;D Would you like to actually see a full, separate series for this storyline?

AnimeFallingStar: Thanks! And sure, I can do a continuation. ;)

Person Who Has No Name: Aw, really? Well, maybe next year, Daniel will be replaced with someone a bit more real. ;)

Rue-the-Marauder: Haha, thanks! And you're right, the fireworks are very pretty. ;P

purplerose34: Thanks! And I intend to. ;D

HopelessRomantic: Oh goodness, _long_ review! Haha, not that I mind, of course. It just means you actually bothered to take the time to write such a nice review! Anyways, I'm glad you liked it! Hmm…a lot of people seem to make up a fake person. Easier for me, since I don't have any crushes. ;) And that's great! I like that you like my replies to reviews, and I'm the same way as well. Hate attention in real life, but love it on the Internet. Is it sad that I feel like I really get to be _me_ when I'm on the Internet, as opposed to real life? I'm really shy in real life, but on the Internet, with just words, I feel like I can completely open up (without revealing any personal info, of course) and I feel like I'm just…more of what I feel inside online. Also, I'm the same. Leviathan fanfiction is keeping me going 'til October as well. (On to your third paragraph.) Thanks! I'm glad you liked that part, which I just thought of, and figured would work well with the story. Sure, I'll write a continuation! I've heard of the movie Mrs. Doubtfire. I've never seen the full thing, but my dad turned the TV on at one time, and it was playing at the exact scene where Robin Williams is switching back and forth in the restaurant, which was hilarious to watch. Anyways, how was the continuation of chapter nineteen? Was this chapter okay? Would you like to see it turned into a separate series? (I'm really trying to get a good idea of what to do.) And haha, really? That's strange, because though I'm American, I never say the USA. I always just say America…And that was a ridiculously long reply…^^; My apologies.

Pony:

1. Thanks! I'm glad it's one of your favorites! And as for Alek having a sister, that's a bit of a misunderstanding. It's Deryn saying she has a 'sister', though really, she's just making it up. And happy V-day to you too!

2. Haha, thanks! Now now, Alek isn't stupid. He's human, and we humans only see what we expect to, or hear, I suppose. Though he is silly.

silent romantic: Haha, thanks! I'm glad I made good use of your quote! And oblivious Alek is so. Much. Fun! ;P

Penelope Wendy Bing: Thanks! Haha, yeah, I suppose I couldn't really keep away from it. I'm glad I managed to pull off the mood swings, too, well enough to meet your approval. I didn't mean to make them too prominent, but they were there, and I'm glad it didn't turn out badly. Glad you liked the closing, and I agree with you. I really hope Jaspert's in the third book as well. He's one of those minor characters that, even if you only see him for a short time, you just take an immediate liking to the character. Again, thanks!

Frogster: Thanks! And yep, Dylan just may have to pull his sister out like you said. ;P Also, I like T-Switzy's idea very much, too. I plan to put it in the chapter after the next one. ;) Hmm…I really am starting to think about doing one. After a while, I've actually come up with an idea for one, which I'm pretty sure hasn't been used yet. Actually, I'm positive, since I checked and all, and don't recall ever reading one like this, but still. That one'll probably be after the World Fair chapter.

JayBird45: Yep, they're very cute indeed. As for a reveal, Frogster suggested this as well. I've thought about it for a little while now, and I think I've got an original idea for a reveal, one that hasn't been done before. It'll be a few chapters from now, but yep, I'm now planning on doing one.

See you all in chapter twenty-two, and be sure to tell me if I should move this story arc to a separate series!


	22. Reflections

Sorry this took so long! This week has been hectic, with tons and tons of tests that have all been thrown on us thanks to the snow days we had earlier this year. Anyways, I attempted to write a continuation for the Valentine's Day chapter, as was requested, but it failed. Miserably. While I can manage friendship fluff, I absolutely fail at romantic fluff.

As for the previous chapter, I'm currently working on the continuation, so expect it as a separate series to come out some time next week. It'll have the first chapter I have in here, of course, but I'll have another new one as well, to describe some stuff in more detail.

On a random note, I have an insane urge to write the _Leviathan_ series in a piratical theme. All nautical and swashbuckling and whatnot. Bizarre, yes, but come on! Just picture Deryn swinging from a rope tied to the mast, and climbing up the rigging, and shouting stuff from the crow's nest!

Fun.

So here's the reveal chapter! I must apologize, right off the bat, because it's sad. Unlike most of my others, this is not a happy-go-lucky chapter. At all. Honestly, I think I'm a bit better at angsty stuff, hence the reason why the majority of this fic doesn't have that. I'm trying to improve my writing in all aspects, and this site has really been helping.

On another note, this is not meant to be what I think should happen in the books. It's not a prediction, but just sort of a dark 'what-if'.

Reflections

"_Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead."  
~Benjamin Franklin_

Alek sat down on the bed, hard. Not his, though. Dylan's. He'd worry about surprising Dylan if the middy were to just walk in, but that wasn't the case. Rather, he would rush towards the middy, and hug him, and maybe even cry. Because if Dylan showed up at the door, that would mean he was alive.

But Alek knew better.

There was no one to turn to, for comfort. Not his men, not Dylan, not even Volger…he was gone, too. They all were. Gone. Vanished. Disappeared.

Dead.

It was an attack. Not by air. By land. The _Leviathan_ had touched down in France, the border, on the way back.

They'd come out of nowhere. The Clankers. They swarmed the ship. The captain and all the men fought back. The Darwinists won the battle.

But at a heavy price.

Alek didn't know what to do in a fight like this. He'd never been in one. He'd grabbed his saber, something, and went to join the others in the hallway, beating back the attackers. Volger was there. He shoved Alek backwards, harshly scolding him for leaving the room.

As he yelled, his voice cut off. Suddenly. There was no warning, nothing. He just toppled over, dead, sightless eyes staring up at the prince he once served.

Alek ran.

Down the corridors, down the halls, down the ship. He needed to get away!

Digging his heels in, he stopped. Dylan. What about Dylan?

Steeling himself, Alek turned around, began to run back the way he had come. Arrived at the fight once more. Walked around the bodies of Klopp, Bauer, Hoffman.

The crew was fighting back. Their guns were firing, both sides, and Alek had to wonder why the _Leviathan_ hadn't caught on fire yet.

A noise made him turn his head to the side. He saw a Clanker, pointing his gun straight at Alek. The prince didn't have any time to react.

It was all his fault. All Alek's fault. Why hadn't he stayed hidden? He was useless!

He didn't have time to react. But Dylan did. Alek couldn't understand it. He spotted the Darwinist boy, saw his friend's eyes alight in panic, saw the middy leap in front of Alek. Felt the hot spray of blood spatter against his cheek.

Alek didn't remember much after that. It all became a hazy blur.

He must have dropped his saber, sometime around then, because he'd reached down, pried the gun from Dylan's hands with both of his, coolly shot at the Clanker, and turned his attention to Dylan, not caring if his shot had killed the man or not.

"Dylan?" Alek had whispered. No response. "Dylan?"

Slowly, Alek lifted his friend's head, but the middy was already gone.

Why? Everything he'd read before had said that they always get a last word in. If someone you love dies, you get to cradle their head as they deliver their last message, then die in your arms.

But that hadn't happened. Dylan was just…dead. No cry of pain. No final words. Nothing. One second, he was there, full of determined life. The next…it was all gone.

He cried. He didn't care that the ragged Darwinist crew had won, didn't care that they all gazed at him sympathetically, didn't care that the captain grabbed his shoulder, and tried to take him back to his cabin, didn't care that Dr. Barlow arrived and gently wiped away his tears, though not her own.

Alek cried. He cried for his best friend, Dylan, for his mentor, Volger, for his men, the kindly Klopp, the cheerful Bauer, the good-natured Hoffman. For his parents, dead a while in Sarajevo, for Dylan's father, who would be reunited with his son all too soon, and Dylan's mother, who would never see her boy again.

Now, sitting on Dylan's bed, tears brimmed at his eyes once more. He shook his head, brought his sleeve across his face. No. He was done now. He had to face it. They were all gone.

Bleakly, he looked across Dylan's room, spotting a familiar sheaf of paper sticking out of a drawer.

Alek pushed himself off the bed, stumbled to the drawer, and pulled out the sketchpad Dylan spent so much time on.

Idly, he began to flip through it, smiling sadly as he thought of how Dylan loved to draw, his face falling as he realized Dylan would never draw a sketch again.

He stopped, and stared at the picture the sketchpad was now revealing. It was one he'd never seen before, one that caught his attention. What did it mean?

It showed the back of a girl, around Alek's age, showed her long hair and dress, but not her face. She was looking in a mirror. And the face, and body, reflected back at her were not those of a girl, but Dylan's. Dylan stood in the mirror, hair short, uniform on, arms to his side.

Why would a girl looking in a mirror see Dylan? Did Dylan have a sweetheart back at home?

But looking closer, he realized that despite the differences in hairstyle and dress, the two were in the exact same pose.

Alek wished he could see the girl's face. But all he could tell from this picture was that it was of a girl, looking in a mirror to see Dylan. Mirrors were only supposed to reflect back…

The prince sat down again on Dylan's bed, hard.

_"Blisters! Now I won't be able to shave!"_

_"No thanks, I'll pass on the bath."_

_"Don't worry about me, Alek. I've got a trick up my sleeve."_

_"They won't hang me, Alek. I'm not the soldier you think I am."_

_"I'm not really a-" _

_"Perhaps, but if you don't help us, I shall be forced to reveal your little secret…I had begun to suspect during our fencing lessons. There's something about the way you stand. And your outbursts on Alek's behalf have also been revealing. But really it was the look on your face just now that removed all doubt."_

_"What's _she_ doing here?"_

_"But she _can't_ like me! I'm a…barking airman!"_

_"Curious? Barking spiders! You hardly know me!"_

_"I know you better than you think, _Mr._ Sharp."_

_"_Mr._ Sharp."_

"_Mr. _Sharp," Alek breathed.

He stared at the picture, everything falling into place at last. He closed his eyes, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

_Mr._ Sharp.

…

So there you have it. There's my own little spin on Deryn's reveal to Alek.

As for how the Clankers were there, I said it was on the border of France, the one shared with Germany. The Clankers had set up camp there, and had spotted the _Leviathan_ landing. The crew onboard the ship hadn't thought to look out for camps (unrealistic, yes) and they were having some engine troubles and needed to land and fix them, before taking to the air again. The Clankers took advantage of this, and attacked the _Leviathan_.

Now for reviews!

FleaBird: Thanks! I take it you'd like the continuation?

Rue-the-Marauder: Haha, thanks! And that's precisely the reason I want to take it out of the drabble fic. I feel like it would indeed just clutter up Today far too much, and yeah. Does that sentence look weird, or is it just me? Sorry, brain's fried from bazillions of tests. ^^;

Music Antoinette: Yep, they're supposed to sound American. Some people did, after all, change their names. Though personally, I don't like name changes. My stepgrandfather's English name is John, but his real name is Wolfgang. How awesome is it to have the name Wolfgang? Ahem. Anyways, I'm glad you liked it! As for Volger's reasoning, that'll be a chapter in itself in the continuation. I feel like it was a little odd in the last chapter, but it'll be explained in depth in the series.

Ezqueza: Haha, alright! I'm already working on it. ;D

HopelessRomantic: Thanks! Yep, more fanfic! I'm glad you think it would make a good story, and as for Ellis Island, I'll easily admit that history is not my strongest subject, but I'll make sure to do more research on the fic than I have done in the past. Haha, and yeah, it just ended up going towards romance at the end there, which is part of the reason I want to move it out of Today. It really wouldn't fit, as while the Valentine's Day chapter had a bit of a tie in with friendship, this situation wouldn't have that at all. Thanks again!

Insert Lame Name Here: Thanks! I do indeed plan to make a separate fic. And really? That's good that it's different, though, I wouldn't want to have written an idea someone else was already working on. And psh, writing's always fun for me! ;P

Eidorian99: That's great that you think I should take it out as well, and I definitely agree with your reasonings. But don't worry, I won't stop updating this! I promise! And you bring up a very good point, about Deryn's future work. Hmm...I need to think of some things that the Americans have that would fly. Thanks for bringing that up!

Holly Marie Fowl: Haha, sorry, I can't predict what songs you'll know! Though I'm glad you like the songs! And don't worry, all parents think their children are insane. And vice versa. Anyways, I do know it'll be a bit hard, to keep up with two series instead of one, but I think I can manage it. ;)

SignedAnon: Okay, then! It's in the works.

Ridley13: Thanks! I now plan to make it a series, and as for Deryn, I've already figured out what she's going to do. ;D

Pony: No worries. ;) Anyways, I'm glad you liked it, even if it wasn't your favorite (after all, what would be the point of favorites if every chapter was one?). I'm glad you found it funny that they have to share a bed, which was just something I randomly threw in there. And really? I didn't know that was a song. Thanks again!

Frogster: Don't worry, I definitely plan on continuing this series, especially with all the positive reviews I got on it! Anyways, yeah, it will be lengthy, which is annoying in a drabble fic. Continuations are fine, but this one would just be far too long, and the budding romance completely skews the theme. I'm glad you liked my Clanker/Darwinist America! Obviously, it'll be nothing compared to Scott's when the third book comes out (is it official that they're going to America now?), but I'm trying to make it a little different, and doing my hardest to blend stuff. More details will keep popping up in newer chapters, of course. As for automobiles, I'm working on that. I can't decide whether or not to have them, and if so, I think I'd want to add a twist to them, and also have them be almost controversial. After all, why would you want a machine spitting gas in the air when you could ride on a strange hybrid creature? As for Volger, I'm glad you like how he's trying to throw them together. There'll be a chapter on his thoughts and reasons why he's now supporting . ;D Thanks!

LittleSpark: Perfect! I'm working on it right now. ;D

Chels: Haha, thanks so much! And it means a lot that you took the time to comment when you normally don't. I'm glad you like the rest of this fic too!

Penelope Wendy Bing: No worries, I know exactly what you mean. And it's okay if you don't read it, sometimes I'll read stories that are just fine, but don't really interest me as much as others. So yeah, don't worry about it. I understand completely. ;) Haha, and yep, there goes Volger. He really is a very good meddler. And as for Alek, you make a very good point. Poor boy indeed. ;P

Person Who Has No Name: Glad to hear you're looking forward to it!

JayBird45: Thanks! And I just get the feeling everyone in Europe thinks Americans are barking mad. You're British, so give me an honest opinion here. Do Brits think we're all nuts? (If you do, I have to admit, I'd probably agree. xP) As for the reason I'd rather not keep it in the drabble series, it's just too cumbersome. It'll slow this series down, and drift away from the one-shots this series is supposed to be about. With the romance, too, it'll kind of ruin the main theme to the series. As for the length, I've managed to put it all in two postings because I've been trying to really cram it down and pack in a bunch of stuff that could be a bit spread out more, as well as skipping over a lot of things. Anyways, I just feel like there are a lot of ways this particular plotline can go, hence it becoming a new series.

See you all in chapter twenty-three!


	23. Luck of the Draw

Ack! Goodness, it's been a while since updated. I could give you a long spiel of excuses (of which there are many and of which there are none) but instead, I'll just skip over all that.

On to the story! This was requested by mio-caro-uccellino23, formerly T-Switzy, who wanted to see a chapter where Deryn and Alek go to the San Francisco World Fair of 1915. Here goes!

Luck of the Draw

"_Expositions are the timekeepers of progress."  
~William McKinley_

Through various detours, fights, mad men, and madder middies, the crew of the _Leviathan_ found themselves in San Francisco, sometime in the middle of March, somewhere in the middle of the coast, and someplace smack dab in the middle of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

Naturally, the captain gave them all shore leave. He didn't really have a choice. If he'd said no, he faced a severe mutiny.

The crew split off into groups. Some of three, some of four, some of five, some of ten. Deryn's was a small one. A group of two. Her and Alek.

Or that's how it started out.

Unfortunately, no one else seemed to want Newkirk in their group, and so he decided to tag along with Deryn and Alek.

Much to Deryn's annoyance.

Apparently, Newkirk had never been to an exposition. Granted, neither had Deryn or Alek for that matter, but _they_ didn't have to stop and gawk at everything for ten minutes, fire off a billion barking questions at the poor, unlucky sap watching over the exhibit, and then whine while being dragged off by two increasingly annoyed shipmates.

"Wow!" Newkirk explained as he watched the demonstrator. "I can't believe it!"

Deryn had to admit, she was pretty awed too. A fellow stood up on stage, telephone in hand. He spoke, loud and clear. "Is he really talking to someone in New York?" she asked Alek.

The prince was stunned. "He must be! It's been made official! I heard that before we got here, they sent off the first trans_continental_ phone call, an example of which we saw today. Can you imagine that? Talking to someone halfway across the world? Well, a really long distance, at least."

The middy shook her head, mouth slightly open. "What next?" she asked in disbelief. "Airships that can take you that distance in half a day?"

Alek scoffed. "Not likely."

Shrugging, Deryn turned and bonked Newkirk on the head. "Come on, then, let's keep moving."

Together, the three set off in the midst of the crowd.

Deryn had to admit, she could understand why Newkirk was being, well, Newkirk. So many inventions were on display around the place, things like specialized hot air balloons to walkers to these things called 'cars', invented by some fellow named Henry Ford. Somewhat inefficient, as they could only travel on roads, but good for some instances of trouble.

Then there was the music, too, live performances all over the places. The strangest one was this man up on stage, playing this little, what was it called again? It was like a mini guitar, or something, and had a kind of mellow feel to it.

Ukulele, that's what it was!

After stopping for lunch to eat some bizarre American food, a fried meat patty on bread that was served at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair, Deryn, Alek, and Newkirk began to wander around a bit more.

Spotting a sign, Deryn tapped her friends on the shoulder to get their attention. "Let's head over there!" she said, pointing excitedly.

"Is that a theater?" Alek asked, tilting his head.

Newkirk exclaimed, "It is! I bet they're showing films!"

Alek frowned. "Come now, we can see those at any time. It's best to look at the other inventions, right?"

Both Darwinists swung around to look at him, Deryn raising an eyebrow. "Not everyone gets the chance to see films on a regular basis, _Your Highness_," she commented dryly.

"Actually, I've never seen one," Newkirk said, staring at the building. "So come on!" He raced ahead, and Deryn let out a laugh before following. Alek sighed and did so as well.

After about half an hour of watching the screen, a projection of a bank robbery and the ensuing getaway, to be stopped by some fairly incompetent police officers, the three left once more.

"Let's check out what's over there," Alek said, pointing at a sign that read 'Underwood Exhibit'.

"In the Palace of Liberal Arts?" Deryn asked.

Newkirk chimed in, "I remember reading in one of the pamphlets that there was something quite impressive in there. Forgot what it was, though."

Deryn and the two spent some time in the building. She let out a low whistle upon seeing its exhibit, a giant typewriter said to be one thousand seven-hundred and twenty-eight times larger than the standard Underwood typewriter, and weighing fourteen tons. "Barking spiders, who would pay ten thousand dollars for a thing like this?"

"Who would pay however many more thousands of dollars it'd take to transport it?" Alek responded in turn. Deryn's eyes widened. That meant a lot, if even a barking prince wouldn't pay for something like that.

"Plenty of madcaps out there who'll want it, I reckon," Newkirk said, an employee dazed from his many questions stumbling off in the background.

Back out in the fairgrounds, they traversed the area, chatting animatedly and laughing and having an all-around good time.

"Blisters," Deryn breathed. She was the first one to spot it.

"What is-_mien Gott_," Alek said, stunned.

Newkirk didn't even bothering saying anything.

It was a dragon. A giant, mechanical, dragon, built of complex machinery, all the pieces fitting like clockwork. Its wings extended twenty feet out, and its gaping maw revealed sharp teeth, and a control mechanism.

Made of steel, it looked far too heavy to fly, but it had four giant wings shooting out from the spine, each side having one on top of the other, as well as another four wings on the tail. Instead of a face, the great dragon had a glass cockpit, with a control panel and everything. Thirty feet from tail to tip, the machine was _immense._

Spotting their stares, an attendant came over, roll of tickets in hand. "Hello, fellas!" he greeted cheerfully, his American accent obvious. "She's a beaut, ain't she?"

Deryn nodded, still staring. "Incredible," she murmured. "I'd give anything to fly it."

"How 'bout a buck, then?" the man asked.

Confused, Deryn glanced at him. "What?"

"Sorry, a dollar. Forgot you were an Englishman."

Deryn shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm still not understanding. What's the dollar for?"

"Ohhh!" the man let out, realizing his mistake. He held up the roll of tickets in his hand. "See here, now, we're doin' a raffle. Pay me a dollar, and I give you a ticket. You hold onto your ticket, and we put an identical one in that bowl over there." He pointed to the stand he was working. "At three o'clock, 'bout fifteen minutes from now, we draw the winning number. That lucky fella gets to fly the _Drackis_, here, with a pilot, o' course. So how 'bout it? Fancy your chances?"

Without a second thought, Deryn pulled out the required money. It was a fair bit, but it was worth it. She handed a dollar over to the man, and he handed her a ticket. "Good luck, little man!" he said.

"I wish to purchase a ticket as well," Alek cut in, handing a dollar over of his own.

Deryn turned to glare at him. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

He shrugged. "I'd love to fly it, too. I've never seen such an amazing contraption."

"_I'm_ the pilot, what happens if _you_ win?" Deryn's fist clenched. She hadn't anticipated this.

"What happens if anyone else wins? They get to fly it."

"But it's not fair, you know that I love to fly more than anyone."

"So be it, but I think I deserve a chance too, don't you?"

As they argued back and forth, Newkirk stepped forward and purchased a ticket of his own, unbeknownst to the other two.

"Come on, let's take a seat and wait for the raffle to start," Newkirk said, pocketing his ticket and interjecting himself between the two fighting friends. "Look, whoever wins, wins. Likely, none of us will. What's fair is fair."

Deryn sighed. "Fine. Sorry about that, Alek. I was being a bit of a _Dummkopf_, wasn't I?"

"It's alright," he responded. "Let's do as Newkirk says, then, shall we?"

"Aye."

The minutes were agonizing. Finally, the man grabbed the bowl and stepped forward. By now, a couple hundred people had showed up, each holding their ticket tightly. "Alrighty then! The winning ticket is 3…4…7…1…6…6…5."

First, there was silence, as everyone looked at the numbers of their own ticket. Deryn cursed under her breath, as she realized that she had the same number, except for the last digit, which was three. Alek was even closer, with all same numbers except for the last one of four.

Next, the silence was broken by a loud, joyous shout of "I won!"

Jerked out of their disappointment, Alek and Deryn stared as Newkirk leaped into the air, running forward to the man amidst groans from the others.

"You've got to be barking kidding me," Deryn muttered.

Newkirk got a full bloody hour up in the _Drackis_. A full bloody hour. And it was a good thing, too, that he had a pilot beside him, because multiple times, the dragon dipped toward the ground, and there was one point where Deryn was sure he was going to crash it.

Afterwards, Newkirk, breathless and excited, ran towards Deryn and Alek. "I can't believe-" he started, but was cut off.

"Keeeep walking," Alek said briskly, striding ahead of Newkirk.

Vaguely disappointed, Newkirk turned to Deryn, ready to recount his incredible adventure. Before he could even open his mouth, Deryn muttered a response of her own. "You're dead to me."

…

Hmm…I have to admit, this chapter wasn't very well written. It was sort of written in intervals, like in little breaks when I had time, so it doesn't flow all that well, and transitions are fairly bad, as well as repetitive. But I still had fun.

Anyways, guess what? I have Spring Break right now! Know what that means? Yep! More chapters! I plan to get the separate series out today or tomorrow, and then at least two more chapters in this by the end of the week. How's that sound?

Time for reviews!

Holly Marie Fowl: Aww, it's okay! I'm glad I made you sad, though! (…_Weird_ thing to say.) That was the point of the story. ;P

purplerose34: Yep, I killed Deryn. Don't worry, though, it was just a dark 'what-if' type chapter. But yes, Alek finally gets it. They do bury her properly, though quickly, and Alek writes a personal letter to her mother, sending the sketchbook as well. I hope this chapter is a lot happier! Not really funny, persay, but a lot lighter. And thanks!

2spiffy: Ah, good, it was supposed to be depressing. ;) And don't worry, I would hate it if Alek found out that way too. As for the pirate theme, it was just sort of a random thought. And I hadn't meant it as playing pirate, but as an actual AU, with real pirates and such. Sadly, it's not likely to happen, though, or at least not for a long while. I do agree, though, everyone needs to be a kid once in a while!

Awesomegoat: Thanks so much! That's always a good reaction to sad pieces, because then that means I wrote it well!

Pony: Haha, really? I must have some sort of special mind reading powers, then, hmm? Anyways, thanks!

JayBird45: Thanks! And yeah, she does have a tendency to die in lots of fanfictions. It's just a lot easier to kill her over Alek. (Bizarre thing to say.) And haha, thanks for the honesty there! I had a feeling Brits thought that way. So, then, am I mad? xP And goodness! Lots of ship knowledge, there! I do know many of the parallels, which is part of the reason I have the urge to write that, though I had no idea about the HMS Leviathan. Interesting! Of course, that's your idea, though, and if you've been thinking about it, I hope that means you're considering writing a fic like that?

Frogster: Thanks! I'm glad you thought it was an interesting way to reveal, which was what I was going for. And haha, that's probably true there! xD I do have to wonder what a whale's crow's nest would be…

Music Antoinette: Thanks so much! And no, no, I don't think Alek would kill himself. Overall, I've never been a very big fan of characters killing themselves, so I doubt you'll ever see that in any of my writing. Still, I'm glad you liked the story!

Rue-the-Marauder: As far as I'm _aware_, I can't read minds. And believe me, I've tried. xP Anyways, thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and that it fits with your current theme of fics to be read!

Penelope Wendy Bing: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the mirror drawing, and the many hints Alek has missed throughout the first two books. ;)

SignedAnon: Oh! Well, thank you so much, then! Of course, I'm sure you've read better reveals, I highly doubt mine's a top ranking, but I'm really happy you liked it, and thought it was realistic! (Though if it happens in the book, Westerfeld is going to be facing a very angry mob.)

HopelessRomantic:

1. Thanks! I'm glad you liked the lines racing through Alek's head, and the sketch Deryn drew! I really did want it to mean something, and the title has a bit of a double meaning too. The obvious one is that Deryn is seeing her reflection, but Alek himself is also reflecting on Deryn, like on how she died and her secret. I've always enjoyed art that means something more than others, too. ;) As for Goliath, I can't even begin to predict how her secret is revealed, and I'm not sure I want to. Westerfeld'll do that for us. Thanks again! ;D

2. No worries. It is _slightly_ sadistic, but I think you're okay. To each their own.

3. So sorry for not updating. Real life, you know? It has a nasty tendency of swamping your brain and flooding your thoughts. Anyways, the other story will be out _very _soon, I promise. ;)

FleaBirdPhoenix6: Thanks! And no, the crew wouldn't find out. Unlike if they were at home, they wouldn't bother redressing the body in a suit or whatever, and so would never discover Deryn's secret. Thanks again!

Ailat:

1. Thanks! I'm glad you like the idea of it being a real fic, as there are a lot of what-ifs, and I do know what you mean. And don't worry, I definitely intend to make it into a real story.

2. Ah, goodness…I'm very confused. ^^; I take it that's a good thing, though? xP

Fleury's Apprentice70: Thanks so much! Haha, I'm glad you liked it!

See you all in the next chapter!


	24. Sky

Okay, I just got hooked on a show recently, that I absolutely _love_. Unfortunately, it was short-lived, but I've decided to pay a bit of homage to it in this chapter. For anyone who can guess the show correctly (send me the name over PM), I'll write any request you make. And I mean _anything_, outside of the theme of this series, whatever. (Just, no explicit M stuff, mkay? I'm fifteen, for crying out loud, so _noooo thank you_.) I know, I normally take requests anyway, but I think I'm just going to limit that to friendship stuff, to keep within the theme, from now on. Just this once, here, will I accept stuff outside the theme, like I said before. Fans should be able to get it right off, as this chapter'll be interspersed with many quotes from the show.

As for people who look up quotes they deem important to find out the show..._meh_. ^^

This takes place a little bit after the war, which makes Deryn nineteen or so. Anyways, she is discharged from the crew with full honors and told to take a break for a few years. Her secret has not yet been discovered, but she knows that she can't go back in a few years, because then it'll be quite obvious she's a girl. So in this, she's finally earned enough money to buy herself a ship.

Sky

"_The engine is the heart of an airplane, but the pilot is its soul."_

_~Walter Raleigh_

_**"**_You paid _money_ for this, Dylan? On purpose?_**"**_ Alek's voice was laced through with disbelief as he stepped on board the airship.

_**"**_What?_**"**_ Dylan turned from gazing lovingly at the craft. _**"**_Come on, seriously, Alek. What do you think?_**"**_

_**"**_Honestly, Dylan? I think you got robbed,_**" **_Alek said, glancing around at the metal cargo bay.

Dylan huffed. _**"**_Robbed? What? No. What do you mean?_**"**_

_**"**_It's a piece of junk**._"_**

_**"**_Junk?_**"**_ Dylan repeated indignantly. _**"**_Okay, she won't be winning any beauty contests any time soon. But she's solid. Ship like this, be with you 'til the day you die._**"**_

_**"**_Because it's a deathtrap,_**"**_ Alek replied, his voice deadpan.

The young archduke, now next in line to the throne of the new, smaller Austrian empire after the emperor, didn't know all that much about flying machines (Stormwalker engines attached to a giant whale didn't count), but even he could tell that the small airship Dylan had purchased was, as he'd said, a piece of junk.

The ship was small, fast, but small, with the deck, or whatever it was the part of the airship attached to the balloon was called, made of rusted, old metal, and looking like it would fall apart at any minute. The fabric stretching across the hull had been repaired far too many times to count, and Alek didn't doubt that the moment anything it, the ship would go up in flames.

Dylan narrowed his eyes. "She'll get me where I need to go. Isn't that all that matters? She's sturdy, and plus, the war's over."

Alek shook his head. "But why? Can't you just go back to the _Leviathan_ in a couple of years? You're acting like you're not going to go back at all."

The former middy grimaced. "I'm not. They probably won't want me back."

"Why would that be?" Alek asked, not understanding.

"No reason," Dylan responded evasively.

Alek sighed. "At the very least, you should have let me bought you a _decent_ ship. Most of my money's going into rebuilding Austria, but the _least_ I could've done was get you a better ship. After all, you've saved my life more times than I count."

"Yes, I _could_ have done that, but I'm not inclined to resign to charity from you. I earned this money, fair and square, and now I've got my very own ship."

"Very well then. What do you plan to do with it, now?" Alek inquired.

Dylan shrugged. "Find myself a crew. Start looking for jobs."

"Good luck with that."

"Thanks? Listen, I need to go fix up some things. Then I'll probably set out some ads. I'm going to need a mechanic, and a couple of airmen. Naturally, I'll be the pilot." Dylan smiled as he thought of the future he'd laid out.

Alek asked, "And what crew wants to serve under a nineteen-year-old captain?"

Dylan took a deep breath._** "**_Do you know what the chain of command is?_**"**_ he asked.

Alek shook his head. "Enlighten me."

_**"**_It's the chain I go get and beat you with until you understand who's in barking command here_**!**_ My ship, my rules, I don't care to hear your insults."

Before Dylan could storm off, Alek grabbed his shoulder. "Listen, Dylan. I'm happy for you, I really am. But I'm also worried. You might have just spent most of your money on something that might not get you any jobs, and wind up leaving you bankrupt."

"There're plenty of jobs out there," Dylan grunted.

Alek raised an eyebrow, turning Dylan around again. "Legal?"

Dylan's jaw dropped. "You think I'd take on jobs outside of the law?"

"Quite frankly, I don't see what else you could do with this," Alek replied dryly.

"Cargo transport. Passenger travel. There are plenty of legitimate options, your princeliness," Dylan retorted, crossing his arms.

Alek sighed, giving up. "Fine, fine, run your ship. Honestly, I'm sure you'll be a brilliant captain."

"Even though I'm only nineteen?" Dylan asked.

"Yes, even though you're only nineteen."

"And I think you'll be a brilliant emperor, or archduke, or whatever bloody inheritance you've got stringed up."

"Even though I'm only nineteen?"

"Even though you're only nineteen." Dylan flashed Alek a grin, happy that the little argument was over with. "Now, would you like me to show you around?"

Giving a slight bow, Alek smiled. "I'd be honored."

Clasping his hands behind his back, Alek followed his friend around the ship. Dylan was really excited, giving him long, detailed explanations on the various parts of the ship. For a Darwinist, he seemed to know a lot about mechanics, which made Alek wonder if some of that hadn't been rubbed off from himself.

As they entered the cockpit, Alek tilted his head in confusion upon noticing dark bruises on the knuckles of Dylan's right hand. "What happened there?" he asked, pointing.

Dylan looked at him, then down at his hand, mumbling something about 'ninnies' and 'bum-rags'. Louder, he said, _**"**_It's nothing.**_"_**

Alek raised an eyebrow. _**"**_I expect there's someone's face feels differently.**_"_**

Smiling lopsidedly, Dylan said, **_"_**Well, they tell you, never hit a man with a closed fist, but it is, on occasion, high-larious.**_"_**

Shaking his head at his friend's behavior, Alek watched as Dylan took a seat in the pilot's chair, and ran his hands over the control panel. "I still can't believe I have my very own ship," he murmured, hitting a button. "Want to give it a test flight?"

"Will I have any need to fear for my life?" Alek asked, and Dylan stuck his tongue out at the future emperor.

"If you keep your oh-so-amusing commentary up, you barking will," Dylan retorted, hitting a couple other buttons on the panel.

"Aren't there landlines to attend to first?" Alek questioned.

Dylan shook his head. "What did you think I was doing when I ran off for the first five minutes you were on board?"

"What-without my permission?" Alek looked somewhat miffed.

Dylan's hands flew across the controls. "Blisters, Alek, the ship is perfectly safe." A shudder rocked the newly purchased airship. "Mostly."

Grabbing onto a nearby chair, Alek clutched it tightly. "If we die, I'm going to kill you."

"Wonderful," Dylan responded, not really paying attention. His entire focus was on getting the airship airborne. Flipping a couple of switches above his head, Dylan pulled a lever and smiled widely as he felt the ship slowly leave the ground. **_"_**You know, it's not all buttons and charts, your princeliness. Know what the first rule of flying is?**_"_**

Alek shook his head, and gave Dylan an encouraging grin. Dylan continued, **_"_**Love. You can know all the math in the world, but take a boat in the air that you don't love? She'll shake you off just as sure as a turn in the mountains. Love keeps her in the air when she ought to fall down...tell you she's hurting before she keens...makes her a home.**_"_**

"You're that attached already?" Alek asked, adding, "Enough so that you consider this ship your home?"

Dylan shook his head, and Alek could already predict what his best friend was about to say. "It's not just the ship, Alek. The sky's my home. **_Y_**ou can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.**_"_**

…

Haha, okay, that should be really obvious to fans of the show. Don't worry, I'll say next chapter what show it is, but I'm just curious to see if there are any fans out there. If not, I hope you still enjoyed the chapter!

And a quick side note for a spot of shameless advertising (does it count if there's no profit?), the story based on chapters nineteen and twenty-one is now out! It's called Hoist the Colours, so, you know, same title and all. If you enjoyed what I'd written in the drabbles, then go check it out! (Oh, I am ashamed. xP)

And for reviews:

Rue-the-Marauder: Haha, yep, our airships are much faster! Anyways, thanks! I'm glad you liked the inventions, which was mostly what they really had on display (apart from the giant mechanical dragon, of course) and yes. Newkirk. xP

Holly Marie Fowl: Oh, phew, that makes me feel a little better. ;P And thanks! I'm glad I did alright with combining the history, there! As well as hamburgers. ;D

Fleury's Apprentice70: Thanks so much! And yes, that's good, indeed. ;) And to your question, I don't mind at all! In fact, I would absolutely _love_ it if you were to draw it out! Go ahead, make your own tweaks, it's your drawing after all. ;D My only condition is that you send me the link as soon as you're done!

Frogster: Thanks! There were definitely quite a few references to real history in that chapter. As for Alek winning and giving the ticket to Deryn, I had considered that. But then I thought, well, I can't really choose between the two of them. And I'd already had Newkirk in the story, so I decided, why not? Let's have Newkirk win, and make both Deryn and Alek insanely jealous of him! (And yes, if it weren't for the pilot, he would've crashed. As a bit of outside information, the pilot forced them to raise the age limit on the raffle from fourteen to eighteen after Newkirk's disastrous flight.) ;P

mio-caro-uccellino23: No problem! I loved your idea, so of course I'd use it! ;D I'm glad it seemed well-written (I'm just a picky person) to you, and I'm glad that I made you laugh. Thanks for the awesome idea! ;)

Nchinatsu: Haha, so true, so true! xP

purplerose34: Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked how Newkirk won. ;)

HopelessRomantic: Haha, really? Goodness…you might want to keep an eye on her. xP Anyways, I'm honored that you showed it to her! And yes, stupid real life. Haha, good job for catching on there! I figured a lot of you would realize Newkirk was going to win when he bought the ticket, which had me debating whether or not to put that there before the raffle was announced, or have the readers find out afterwards. Poor Deryn indeed (though I feel like she became a bit ooc at points) and I just picture Newkirk being a bit of an outcast among the crew. Dunno why. I should probably go back and reread the books again. (Even though it's been what, three months?) And no worries, I use a lot of emoticons too. ;D

Pony: Thanks! I'm glad you liked that part, and I intend to have a _very _awesome Spring Break! (Except it's already halfway over! *cries*)

JayBird45: Haha, so you play ukulele? That's pretty cool! See, the reason I put it in the chapter was because I read that it was the first time it had been seen in the States, and it started a sort of ukulele craze for the next ten years, or something like that. And I meant no offense at calling a little guitar, I just figured that's what someone unfamiliar with the instrument would think of it as. ;) Anyways, thanks! I'm glad you thought it was funny, and no worries about the fighting sail thing! It was very interesting material. ;D And yes, you may have more! Though out of curiosity, how could you be _sure_ I was a girl? I could have put it on my profile, but in reality, be some really creepy guy, or something. Not that I am, of course! Hehe, he. xP No, I promise, I am indeed a girl. Honestly, I think the majority of fanfic writers are girls, though I have seen plenty of really good ones by guys. And now I'm rambling. Sorry about that!

See you all in chapter twenty-five!


	25. Gone

The show referenced to last chapter was Firefly, so congrats to those fellow Browncoats out there! For those who didn't know, I don't blame you. As I said, you'll either know it, or you won't. You might have heard of Firefly, but chances are, you haven't. It is a very awesome show, though. ;D For a little bit of detail on the show, it's a sort of a sci-fi western mix, following the crew of _Serenity_, and yeah. Good show. ;)

To give credit for the quotes, I went back and bolded the quotation marks around the ones taken from the show, or the first letter or end punctuation that started or ended the quote.

Okay, so this is the first of the requests for guessing the show correctly! Rue-the-Marauder said:

"And as for the request... Being the sick thing I am, I kinda want to see either Deryn or Alek in a psychiatric ward/asylum. I read one Leviathan one of this and LOVED it. Crazy people= my favorite fics."

So here we go! Right off the bat, you'll notice that this chapter is _extremely _different from others. The writing is indeed meant to be very scattered, and possibly hard to follow, as you'll notice, because it's meant to be from the view of someone gone mad. I also played around a bit with bold and italic words, which is another stylistically different thing.

By the way, as a WARNING. For this chapter, the rating has been bumped up to T, because it's a _very _dark chapter. There's nothing bad in it, it's just a lot darker than normal.

Gone

"_A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?"_

_~Albert Einstein_

Black cold dark hungry alone strange. Not know –where? _where_?- place unknown strange black _black _**black**.

Why black? Eyes **closed** not supposed to see anything but see black should see nothing not black can't see colors unless black is **nothing**?

Hurts _hurts _can still remember don't want to remember can still see don't want to see can't see shouldn't see hurts to see.

Shrapnel tears uniform bullets spray clipped face stinging pain touch cheek come back red-handed. Bombs bursting duck down another round stay alive not **stopping**. Mines to be set up got to brave _fears_ run along trench to other side separate from others now not safe not safe going to die _going to die_.

Choking coughing –why?- not supposed to be coughing unless from smoke and there's _no smoke_. Eyes sting skin stings nose stings why? Cough cough choke something **wrong** very _**wrong**_ chemicals! Sending chemicals over chemical warfare banned now not banned then allowed then used chemical warfare both troops did.

Yellow-green cloud like pears olives green apples pistachios _death_. Means death yellow-green 'chartreuse' cloud floating slowly over no one understanding should be understanding not her **fault**! Couldn't see it coming placing mines not looking up looking down didn't know cloud was _there_.

**Choking** still **coughing** still deep gasp of air drop to ground of trench face pressed up to dirt gas lighter than air _oxygen_ at bottom like smoke in a fire breathe deep only clean air around lots of coughing from others choking thuds _bodies_ falling didn't think to fall to ground dead _dead_ by chemical warfare by **gas**.

Can't take it don't care 'bout treason take deep breath hold it get up _run_. Run **run** out of the trench rank of small trenches back a couple hundred yards running to safety can't hold breath any more take gasps while running chemical stings finally **away** finally reach second flank. Trench is empty why **empty**? Understands bodies still there racked through with bullet holes large bullets airfare mounted air attack didn't notice _how_? Too busy.

Look back to other trenches can't take it sees more men slump over gas bullets bombs shrapnel doesn't matter all dead anyways death the same doesn't matter how. Rumble shakes earth looks up sees another plane drops something _**NO!**_

Screams raw screams can't take it _**NO NO NOOOOO!**_

Bomb falls hits _Leviathan _why _Leviathan_ why why why _why_? Gas leaks been leaking hydrogen filling air flammable bomb falls hits explodes then everything else **explodes**. Red **red** columns of fire vortex of fire ship not even burning just burst into _flames_ and **burst** and gone and dead and all crew raining gas raining fire raining _bodies_ falling falling not corpses corpses look like **people** these are just bodies charred black gone dead.

Falls to ground clutches head screams _screams_ not like a boy not like a girl just scream _scream __**scream!**_ Germans Clankers a soldier still around walking patrol spots hears comes over tries to shake out of it still screaming can't stop screaming soldier sad raises gun mutters **sorry** and **mercy **in Clanker brings gun back down **black**.

Can't remember afterwards stuff stuff people talking -why is she alive?- doesn't matter alive hurt physically recover not mentally blame blow to head supposed to kill her didn't do it hard enough was still too sympathetic she knows better it wasn't _blow to head_ caused her craziness –oh yes! she knows she's crazy! **mad** like a hatter **mad **like a hare!- not blow to head though blow might have helped but sights screams fire rain gas death _death_ **death** can't take it too much _**death**_!

Looks up eyes open in **containment **walls washed in solid color glass window –zoo? exhibit?- no not zoo cell in jail can't leave because _insane _lets out laugh looks up sees two men looking through glass one in a white coat the other familiar _familiar_ can't place it bright green eyes green yellow green gas screams again.

What are barking spiders?

…

Alek clenched his fist tightly, trembling in fury and horror and pity as he watched Deryn through the glass. He found out her name from her mother, after the war was over. He'd been dropped off for detainment in England until the war ended, while his best friend Dylan left with the rest of the _Leviathan_ crew to go fight. He'd been worried, but only about Dylan coming back alive and physically okay. He'd never considered this.

After he was released, he went to find Dylan's mother, and learned of his friend's secret, that Dylan was actually Deryn, a girl masquerading as a boy to be in the Air Service. Ms. Sharp hadn't heard from Deryn yet, and she was really worried. This worried Alek too, and Ms. Sharp was kind enough to let him stay in Deryn's room rather than going back to Austria, as they awaited her return.

He got to meet Jaspert Sharp, Deryn's brother, when he returned from the war, battered but alive and well. They talked of Deryn, and Alek was thrilled to hear stories of her.

Finally, news arrived, of a young girl in an airman's uniform being found out on the Western Front. She was the only survivor, and they'd thought even _she_ was dead, until she got up and began to stagger around the battlefield. She was being kept in an asylum in London.

Deryn's mother had broken down then and there. She told Alek to go ahead, to see her first, and then tell Ms. Sharp. She said she couldn't bear to see Deryn if she was as bad as the report claimed.

So Alek put on a cool mask to cover his anxiety and left to go to the hospital, to see her.

And there she was. It had been years, and now he could see her again.

It broke his heart.

Deryn was lying in the middle of an empty room, her arms tied behind her back and her feet bound as well. He flinched as she opened her mouth and let out an earsplitting scream, before staring blankly in front of her, mouth moving slightly as she mumbled things they couldn't hear, and likely couldn't understand.

Horrified, he turned to the doctor. The man glanced at Alek, then shook his head. "There's been nothing we can do. It's like she's trapped in her memories of the fighting. Honestly, I can't blame her. Even if she hadn't suffered that blow to her head, she'd still be damaged mentally. Perhaps not as bad, but there would still be trauma. What she saw out there…I can't even begin to imagine."

Alek bit his lip, tears slowly leaking from his eyes. "Can I talk to her?" he asked, his voice small.

The doctor sighed. "You can try." With obvious reluctance, the man pulled out a key and opened the door to her containment cell.

Alek stepped inside, walked straight up to Deryn. He crouched down, and spoke gently, "Hey, Deryn."

Her head snapped towards his, bloodshot eyes boring holes into his own. Hesitantly, Alek reached out a hand, and laid it on her shoulder. She flinched back, narrowing her eyes. "Dead dead all dead walk the line you lose your head."

Eyes glistening with more tears, Alek gave her a slight smile. "It's me, Deryn. It's me, the 'barking prince'." His voice cracked. "You remember, right? Your friend?"

"No friends."

"Yes, Deryn, you _do_ have friends," Alek said, his look pleading. "Please, Deryn, come back!"

She remained silent. Finally, her mouth opened. "The prince isn't here."

Alek shook his head. "You're wrong, Deryn. He _is_. He's right here! Please, Deryn, please."

Deryn tilted her head to the side. "No. The prince isn't here. The prince wouldn't come see Deryn. He would only see Dylan. Except Dylan isn't real. Not anymore. So the prince isn't here."

"I know, Deryn. I know you're a girl, now. Your mother told me. But it's okay! You're still my best friend in the whole world!" A tear traced down his cheek.

Flopping onto her side, she shook her head repeatedly. "Dylan isn't here, prince isn't here. Heh, Deryn isn't here! Not all here! No, Deryn's not here either! Half is on one side half on the other but not together! So no one's here. So No One's here." She gave a crooked smile. "I'm No One!"

Alek reached out and grabbed both of her shoulders, pulling her up and forcing her to look into his eyes. "You are _not_ no one!" Alek hissed, then released a sob. He placed his arms around Deryn and pulled her into a hug. "Please, Deryn, wake up!"

…

Voice quiet gentle familiar voice **familiar** says to _wake up_ not understanding already awake. Says Deryn Deryn's not here who's Deryn? Who's Deryn who's Dylan who's the prince?

The prince. Not there during war gone England detained suspicion or safety it wasn't said said goodbye to prince friend friend what's a **friend**? "What's a friend?"

Prince looks in eyes she's not understanding why look in eyes? Says, "Friends are by your side no matter what. That's why I'll never leave."

Never leave **never leave** black no, **colors** now, cold no, **warm **in embrace, hungry no, **full** of something feelings –what?-, alone no, **together** friend friend is here, dark no, **light**, speck of** light,** growing brighter growing _brighter _**light **in darkness.

Names _names_ keeps saying Deryn not his name hers. So his name _what is it?_

She breathes, takes big breath, says softly, "Alek."

…

Is it bad that I had an insane amount of fun writing this? …Yeah, probably. ^^;

Anyways, how did I do, Rue-the-Marauder? ;D

Pony: Yep, fast updates! I'm glad you liked the airship love part, which was actually a quote from the show, and it is very true, hence the reason I put it in. ;) And yes, Spring Break flies by _far_ too fast! It's almost over now, which means back to slower updates. Dx Anyways, thanks!

Rue-the-Marauder: Thanks! And haha, well, it shouldn't, but ah well. I've already written the chapter, so a bit late now, eh? ;P

purplerose34: Thanks! I'm glad you liked that line, too! (Which wasn't a quote, that was my original line. ;D) I'm a bit confused, though. What do you mean, 'do they make it?'

sharpee: Ah, dang! Forgot to post rules for that as well! And don't worry, you didn't spoil it, but you _definitely_ proved your knowledge of the show to me. ;D So, then, are there any requests you'd like to see, anything you want as a chapter?

Pandora: I tried, _so hard_, to think of any possible way that I could use that quote in that chapter, but, you know, it just doesn't fit for anyone except River. Nice job on catching the first quote right off the bat. ;) Any special requests you'd like to make, as reward? (Honestly, that's the only fanfiction writers can really give, isn't it?)

Holly Marie Fowl: No, it might not be incredibly obvious, especially since it's been quite a few years now since it was first on. (Part of the reason I didn't watch it then-I was about six or seven!) Thanks!

Frogster: Thanks! Haha, the chain of command line was from the show, so credit goes to them, but I did feel it suited Deryn quite well. It's funny, though, because the character who says it is _quite_ different from Deryn. ;P I'm glad you liked Alek's apprehension, and yep, the sky is Deryn's home. Haha, no, no, they're not at the Hindenburg at all! And they never will be, as far as I'm concerned. But as for a hydrogen-based airship, I figure they'd still have some. And I figured it would be a lot cheaper for Deryn to buy one of _those_,as opposed to a giant flying whale .xP Thanks again!

Music Antoinette: That's okay. ;) And I'm glad you thought the dialogue was good! (After all, _most_ of it was mine!) I'm also pleased you like that quote, which is my own, not from the show. Haha, yeah, just to make sure. xP Thanks!

JayBird45: Ah, true. I didn't think about that. ^^; I'm really sorry there! Fine then, as a special challenge for you, can you tell me the show that I will quote below? It's a BBC show, another of my favorites. ;) Just…don't…post any spoilers, okay? It hasn't finished airing here yet! ^^; And no looking up the quotes!

1-"Come on then. I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth."  
2-"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?"  
1-"You can't address me like that."  
2-"Sorry... How long have you been training to be a prat, my lord?"

1-"You know, you've got a lot of nerve for a wimp."  
2-"Well I may be a wimp, but at least I'm not a... dollop-head."  
1-"There's no such word."  
2-"It's idiomatic!"  
1-"It's what?"  
2-"You need to be more in touch with the people."  
1-"Describe dollop-head?"  
2-"In two words?"  
1-"Yeah."  
2-"(Insert character #1's name here.)"

Anyways, I'm glad you liked the chain of command quote, which is from the show, and the fact that Deryn's trying to find a crew willing to serve under a nineteen-year-old. I agree, I can definitely picture her having problems. Haha, okay, looking at my profile would lead you to think I'm a girl (since it expressly says so on there), and I'm quite pleased that you think I'm too nice to be a creepy stalker! *grins* I would certainly _hope_ I don't sound like one…xP

See you all in chapter twenty-six! (And I promise, I'm done with the dark stuff from now on, unless someone requests it. ;D)


	26. One Hundred Word Drabbles

Gah! So sorry for the temporary hiatus! Had school and the like, needed to put some focus on math, got a bunch of research papers…you know the drill. Anyways, I'm back to updating regularly now! (I think. Don't take my word for it. I'll let you know in the summary again if another break is needed, but I'll try my hardest not to.) As for Hoist the Colours, I'll have a chapter out quite soon too, hopefully by the end of today.

You know, I haven't really done any drabbles for this series. Like it says in the summary, this is a collection of short stories, hence the reason for both their length and lack of it. But I decided I'd try some hundred word drabbles, all exactly that amount. Here goes!

1. At the End of the Day

"_At the end of the day, you're another day older."_

_~At the End of the Day, Les Misérables_

Mornings could be brutal. A certain Rigby alarm clock was efficient, but bloody frustrating.

By noon, the sun was out. Not metaphorically. When all she wanted was darkness, to sleep, the sun was unwelcome.

Afternoons were after and before. After the tired slump, before the onslaught of work. Well, second one.

Come eventide, she was dead tired. So tired she practically crawled into bed. However, sleep was not to come. A timid knock, and she groaned, rolling off and opening the door. But a familiar face greeted her, and a smile appeared.

At the end of the day were friends.

2. Super Trouper

"_But I won't feel blue, like I always do, 'cause somewhere in the crowd there's you."_

_~Super Trouper, Mamma Mia!_

Lights flashing, bright, white, and annoying as Bovril (though nowhere near as cute).

It was official. Deryn hated reporters.

She tried her best to shove through them, but they seemed determined to mob her.

"How did you pull it off?"

"Was it hard?"

"Are you ashamed of your behavior?"

Seething, Deryn snapped at the last reporter, "No, but you should be!"

More questions.

Muttering curses, she shoved through the crowd. Suddenly, a hand grabbed hers, and fended off the flies.

"Come on," Alek said, flashing a grin. "Let's get you out of here!"

What a super trouper. And brilliant friend.

3. Let's Go Fly a Kite

"_With your feet on the ground, you're a bird in flight with your fist holding tight, to the string of your kite."_

_~Let's Go Fly a Kite, Mary Poppins_

"Swell day," Deryn commented, wind rustling her hair and the grass at her feet.

"Indeed," Alek agreed, sitting beside her.

Clouds scuttled across the blue sky above them. Trees strained in the distance with the breeze. Rays of the sun were golden, warm. The world was calm.

And dead boring.

She heaved a sigh, and Alek glanced at her. "Something the matter?" he asked.

"I'm bored."

Alek looked around. "It's so beautiful. Peaceful."

"Boring." Deryn lay back down in the grass, then shot up, eyes bright with an idea, and focused on the cottage below.

"Let's go fly a kite."

4. What Is This Feeling?

"_What is this feeling, so sudden, and new?  
__I felt the moment I laid eyes on you.  
__My pulse is rushing, my head is reeling, my face is flushing, oh!- what is this feeling?  
__Fervid as a flame, does it have a name? Yes!  
__Loathing."_

~What Is This Feeling, Wicked

Deryn wasn't blind. No sirree, she could see the signs as clear as day.

The way her face turned red when he came near. The way his mustache quivered as their conversations became heated. The way tension crackled in the air between them.

Oh, yes. Deryn could see their feelings as clear as day. Through their constant spats over the advantages of life threads and cables, or their arguments between food and fuel.

Or through their indifferent attitudes and cool, placid demeanors.

Deryn certainly wasn't blind.

It was _loathing_ the boffin and the cleverboots felt for each other.

…Wasn't it?

5. The Music of the Night

"_Turn your face away  
from the garish light of day,  
turn your thoughts away  
from cold, unfeeling light -  
__And listen to the music of the night."_

_~The Music of the Night, The Phantom of the Opera_

Black. Darkness. If she waved her hand in front of her eyes, she doubted she'd be able to see it.

It was the night of a new moon, dead scary for those superstitious folk. Not for Deryn, though. Sitting against the tree trunk, she let the sounds wash over her.

Grass whispering as night critters crawled through it. An owl, hooting in pride as it clutched its meal. The hiss of a nearby grass snake.

It was all the better to have a good friend to share it with.

Closing her eyes, she listened tothe music of the night.

…

…Somehow, these all become based on songs from musicals. No idea why…And the song quotes got progressively longer…^^;

And yes, number four is definitely a hint of Varlow. Well, more than a hint, but yes. I suppose I do support the pairing after all, but Alek and Deryn are just way better. (It's Dalek now, isn't it?)

Time for reviews! On a little note, I've decided that I'm going to reply to all fanfiction users using the little review reply button instead, as it does tend to take up room in the chapters. However, for anonymous users, I'll still continue to answer like I usually do. ;) (Or for those who have PMing disabled.)

Call me Mad: Thanks so much! Yep, it was supposed to be very train of thought and chaotic, so I'm glad it worked out.

Pony: Thanks! Haha, I'm glad it's creepy in an awesome way!...?

Ah, yes, definitely 'poor Deryn' here. And me too, I would certainly hope this doesn't happen in the books! Highly doubtful, though, of course. (Shredding the book would be an understandable reaction.)

I did indeed have an awesome last few days of Spring Break! Alas, they went too fast…

HopelessRomantic: Thanks! Haha, yeah, there is something strangely appealing about train-of-thought rambling, and she is supposed to sound a bit schizophrenic, because you have to remember, she's gone a bit insane. Her thought patterns were sort of, eh, 'derailed', and became kind of strange and bizarre to us sane people. (…Fanfic writers and readers _are_sane, right? xP) I'm glad you liked it!

Couple of announcements! One, for those who guessed the show correctly, be sure to send me a request (if you want to)! And two, I hope to have the next chapter out fairly soon. See you then!


	27. Suspended

Sorry for the delay, yet again! Still had those pesky research papers to do, and various other projects. But most are done now! I just need to edit the research papers, and do a chemistry project (actually, two.) But once this weekend is over with, I think I'll be good for a while. Hopefully. I probably just jinxed myself. Anyway, here's the next chapter!

P.S. Virtual brownies to anyone who can tell me what movie the quote's from! (Without looking it up. xP)

Suspended

"_First, don't panic. Second, don't panic! And third, did I mention not to panic?"_

_~Jiji_

"Just hold on!" Dylan shouted up to the panicked prince.

Alek glared down at him, the prince's face pale as he grasped the rope tighter in his hands. "What do you think I'm 'bloody well' doing!" he yelled back down at his Darwinist friend.

Down below, he heard Dylan mutter, "Taking a bloody picnic and stealing my bloody slang."

"Priorities, Dylan!" Alek called down, then blanched as the middy pulled out a rigging knife. "No, y-you wouldn't!"

Brandishing it, Dylan held the knife above the rope. "Keep nagging me and you'll see what I barking will or won't do! Now hush up! I'm trying to think." He began pacing, flipping the knife idly from hand to hand, which unnerved Alek to no end.

"Must you do that?" the prince asked, and Dylan glanced up at him, then held the knife aloft once more.

"Na-gging," he said in a bit of a singsong voice, reminding his friend quite clearly to be silent.

So Alek did. Legs and arms gripping the ratline attached between a Huxley and the _Leviathan_, Alek glimpsed a shot of the broken harness swinging freely in the wind. Useless thing. A Clanker invention wouldn't break like that, nor would Alek need to worry about 'scaring it' into deflating and bringing him and the 'beastie' crashing down however many thousand feet.

Instead, he had to cling to a rope suspended about thirty or so feet above the giant whale. If he were to jump, he'd likely break something, or fall off the edge, so that was out of the question.

Dylan had already sent a message lizard for help, but Alek had no doubt in his mind that Dylan would likely act irrationally before any help arrived.

Alek swore never to call a message lizard ungodly ever again, if the little creature could simply get the crew back up to the giant whale's back in time before Dylan did something…well, Dylan-ish.

"I got it!" a Scottish voice exclaimed below.

Alek groaned.

"Hey!" Dylan's aggravated face turned up towards him, arm wildly waving the knife about. "You hush up! Want me to save your daft bum or not?"

The archduke weighed his chances of survival: comply with Dylan's likely 'madcap' idea, or anger the middy, and likely have him cut the rope on Alek.

Sighing, Alek called down, "Very well. How do you plan to get me down?"

"Slow like." Dylan grasped the rope, giving it a gentle tug. Alek froze as the Huxley shifted above him, then shut his eyes as he felt his lifeline sway a bit, then move downwards an inch or so.

As Dylan slowly, carefully, began to reel the rope in, Alek felt his limbs begin to tremble. His arms and legs were tired from the strain of holding his weight up, and he reluctantly called down, "Dylan! I don't think I can hold on much longer!"

"Barking try!" his friend grunted, the muscles of Dylan's straining against the jacket as he pulled.

Surprised, Alek looked up at the Huxley, and realized that the slow progress was not only a result of Dylan trying not to spook the creature, but also because the Huxley was straining in the opposite direction, towards the air. It might not have been a conscious desire (did giant flying jellyfish even think?) but it wanted to stay aloft, and was fighting Dylan's tug.

Alek felt himself lowering, slowly moving towards the _Leviathan_'s backside.

A clamor from the ship's hull sounded as men began to rush on deck. Volger was among them, cool and collected, as always. Alek could have sworn he saw a flash of panic in the count's eyes when he looked up to see his young charge, but Alek knew he must have been imagining it.

Striding briskly, Volger marched straight up to Dylan. "Tell me, please, how the heir to the Austrian empire ended up _floating_ _twenty feet in the air_, _clinging to a rope, and in danger of falling to his DEATH_?"

Dylan ignored the count, keeping his eyes on Alek and the Huxley. "Just a wee bit complicated, sir."

"Oh, yes, complicated, I'm sure of _that_. Get him down from there!" Volger demanded. Silent, the other members of the crew that had come up to join them stared in shock.

The middy snapped. Turning his head, he glared at Volger. "What do you _think_ I'm barking _trying to do_!" He jerked his head sharply at the rope in his hands, and the continual pace he was keeping of reeling it in.

Volger matched Dylan's glare. "Give me the rope," he ordered, holding out his hand.

"Oh, aye, and risk letting His Princeliness float off in midair! Brilliant idea, sir, couldn't've come up with one better myself!"

Stiffening, the count reached out for the rope in Dylan's hands. "At the very least, I can keep a better hold of it than _you_, _Mr_. Sharp."

"Stuff it," Dylan growled, hands kept tightly around the rope.

Alek, watching the debate, clenched his jaw and tightened his hold on the rope. His limbs trembled and shook, weary and exhausted from supporting his weight up so long. Though fencing kept him in fair ship, he doubted even Dylan could have held on this long without growing tired. "Dylan!" he called out, his voice strained. He gave a weak smile to the middy. "Can you please hurry it up?"

The middy glanced up at his friend, and Alek noticed a subtle shift in the speed of the reeling, a slightly faster pace. "Keep your barking hat on, I'm getting there!"

At last, Alek released his grip on the rope and collapsed on the ground, muscles weak. Volger knelt by his side, while Dylan led the Huxley away.

Alek watched him go, entirely grateful for his help. From the way Dylan's own arms shook, he knew it had been no easy task to pull him in.

"I still do not understand how you can tolerate that _boy_ on a daily basis," Volger said, his voice oozing disdain. That's all it ever seems to do when Dylan is discussed, Alek thought.

"He saved my life," Alek said simply.

"He also endangered it," Volger pointed out.

Alek frowned. "That's not entirely fair. It was partly my idea to go up in the Huxley."

"He should have checked the harness."

"He did. It was secure when I first went up."

"The boy's incompetent."

"Perhaps," Alek mused. "Though in what? Honestly, he's like the boy I want to be. Brave, witty, a true soldier."

Volger raised his eyebrows, plainly shocked. "Do believe me, but I highly doubt that _Mr._ Sharp is a better male than you."

"Oh, I'm almost certain he is," Alek replied readily.

Shaking his head, Volger stood, helping the prince up. "I do wonder about you, sometimes," Volger murmured, and Alek cocked his head.

"I'm sorry, but what?"

"I said nothing."

…

"Dylan? May I come in?"

Alek blinked in surprise as he heard a _thud_, followed by several mumbled curses. The door flew open to reveal a bleary-eyed Dylan. "Just a squick of rest," he muttered under his breath, then looked up at Alek. "Aye? Whataya want?"

Alek supposed he should feel a bit bad. It was fairly late at night, and the prince realized that Dylan had had an early morning watch shift that day. "I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?" Dylan asked, though his crinkled eyes gave away that he was teasing.

"Saving my life," Alek replied.

"What was that again?"

"You know, arrogance is bad for you."

"No it's not. It bolsters your confidence, and gives you swagger. Now then, can you repeat what you said earlier?" Dylan was grinning from ear to ear now, and Alek found he was doing the same.

"Of course, it would have all been simpler if you hadn't suggested giving me a Huxley ride," Alek pointed out.

"Oh, shut it," Dylan retorted.

Alek shrugged. "Very well, then. Of course, someday, I shall make you pilot a Stormwalker."

"Okay," Dylan said. "On one condition."

"What's that?"

"Best make it sturdy. You know, so it doesn't get all bent up too bad."

"I'm surprised," Alek said honestly. "I would have thought you'd think yourself to be a natural pilot."

"I am," Dylan said. "But in the air. On the ground? Your Clanker contraptions are a barking mess, all heavy and whatnot. I know full well that I'll crash it."

Alek raised an eyebrow. "I suppose I'll have to reconsider?"

"I'd advise it. Now, it's bloody well past my bedtime. Mind giving me a wee bit of shuteye?" Dylan's look was almost pleading, and Alek consented.

"Good night," the prince said, an answering "Sleep well" slipping through the door as it closed.

As Alek walked back to his own room, he smiled. The day had certainly been an adventurous one.

…

Well, that was fun!

On to reviews!

Pony: Haha, you and your brother have Spring Break at different times? Why's that? And I suppose that would be annoying.

Glad you liked the reporters one! (That might secretly be my favorite as well. ^^)

Thanks!

Ezqueza: Hmm, yes, insanity _is _nice. xP

HopelessRomantic: Don't worry, we're all entitled to our opinions. ;) I don't count on the fact that the real Dr. Barlow was married, mainly because we're obviously seeing a fictional version of her, and so some things don't have to be the same. As for the Varlow pairing, I find it interesting. They're both certainly clever enough for each other, though they're certainly not the type to ever go all ga-ga over each other. Or anyone else, for that matter. I do completely understand your reasoning, though. ;)

See you all in the next chapter! (Twenty-eight, right?)


	28. Japanese Jaunt

Hey there! Anyways, this chapter was a request by blackbird31 on deviantArt (purplerose34 on here, I believe?) and yep. So here's a nice, fun little adventure for our favorite protaganists to go through while in Tokyo. xP

Japanese Jaunt

_"The road to Easy Street goes through the sewer."_

_~John Madden_

Deryn quite liked Japan. There was a certain feel to the place, a combination of modern and historical. Just a few minutes ago, she and Alek had walked past a pair of women dressed in, uh, kimonos, that was it! These woman were dressed in kimonos, ancient Japanese dress-thingies, along with white face paint and black hair placed up in a bun. If she recalled, they actually had a specific name. Barking spiders, there were too many strange Japanese words she had to learn! Ah, geishas! Yes, Deryn was sure they were called geishas.

Apart from the combination of history, the people were nice. Almost insanely so. Everyone was polite, kind, and Deryn wondered if maybe they thought she and Alek were royalty, or something (without knowing, of course, that Alek actually was.) She found their strange fascination with her blonde hair a bit awkward, though

Walking along the streets of Tokyo, Deryn smiled at the peace and quiet. Side by side with Alek, the two friends strode quietly through the Japanese city, enjoying the tranquility.

"_Haltestelle direkt dort_!" a Clanker voice shouted.

Startled, Deryn and Alek spun around, eyes widening as a German shouted at them, then waved his arm at someone hidden behind the corner of a building. Deryn gulped as more Germans ran out, and when they began to rush towards the Darwinist and the Austrian, Deryn grabbed Alek's arm and began dragging him down the streets.

Feet pounding the sidewalk, buildings flew by as Deryn half-dragged Alek around a corner and out of sight of the Germans. Spotting an open doorway, she tugged him behind her and bolted into the store.

Deryn glanced around, taking in her surroundings instantly. It appeared she'd dragged the two of them into a clothing store. What a stroke of luck! "Dylan-" Alek began to say, before being cut off abruptly.

"Stuff it, and throw something, anything, on!" Deryn commanded, darting into the store and taking shelter in one of the clothing racks. Hearing footsteps and the rustling of cloth, she assumed Alek had done the same.

As Clanker voices sounded outside the window, Deryn grabbed one of the clothes from the rack hiding her and threw it on over her middy's uniform. It settled into place softly, and she peeked over the top of the rack, deciding, after a couple of minutes, that it was safe to come out.

Deryn checked to make sure her new clothes were in place, deciding to keep them as a disguise, and walked out into the open. Looking around, she rolled her eyes as she saw a head of red hair poking out from between some expensive-looking tuxes. "Alek, we need to-barking spiders!" Deryn swore as the sound of Clankertalk reappeared again.

Before she could hide, they were passing the storefront just in time to see Alek standing up and moving beside Deryn. The two froze, then raced out of the store. As the Germans parted in surprise at the mad, headlong rush of their two targets, Deryn and Alek didn't have much time at all to think, practically skidding in a turn on the street and heading off in a different direction.

"_Manbiki_!" a voice shouted, sounding suspiciously like a young Japanese girl. "_Manbiki_!" she shouted again, pointing at Deryn and waving at the German officers to get her. Realizing that the Clankers weren't Japanese, she shouted again, in English, "Shoplifter! Shoplifter!"

Swearing under her breath, Deryn muttered, "Blisters, am I ever going to get a break?"

The two, sprinting ahead, managed to put a block between them and their pursuers, and Deryn led them into an alleyway, then stopped her and Alek for a breather. "Think we escaped them?" she asked her friend.

Alek shook his head. "I couldn't say. And-what are you wearing?"

"Hm?" Deryn cocked her head, confused by his question. Was there something odd?

Her friend's eyes widened, and Deryn's own narrowed as Alek bit his lip, then burst out laughing. "You idiot!" Deryn scolded. "You'll give away our position!"

Alek shook his head, fighting hard to control his mirth. "Y-you-you're wearing a dress!" he spluttered, and, frowning, Deryn glanced down at her stolen clothes.

"Barking spiders."

Apparently, in her haste, she had grabbed a dress from one of the racks and thrown it on over herself. This warranted a few more choice words under her breath, before Deryn exposed Alek to a full-on death glare of epic proportions.

Immediately, the prince shut himself up, but not before letting one more giggle out. "I'm sorry," he said, battling hard against the laughter threatening to burst out, "but it's just that, seeing _you_, in a _dress_! I mean-God's wounds, Dylan, you're practically the manliest boy I've ever met!"

Deryn stiffened, and gave Alek an incredulous look, debating between kicking or sparing him. Blisters, how on _Earth_ was she to respond to a comment like that?

Oh, and, not to mention, her poor hopes were now dashed by that statement. Either that, or Alek really didn't leave the palace much.

Before she could answer, the clamoring noise of the Germans coming closer spurred Deryn into action and shoved Alek's words out of her mind. From what she could tell, they were still about a block away.

Peering out on to the street, Deryn's eyes alighted on the perfect escape route. 'Course, it would be a squick (well, loads more than that) disgusting, but Alek could stuff it. Again, grabbing his arm, Deryn ran both of them out onto the street and towards a metal circle set in the sidewalk.

As Deryn strained to lift the heavy piece of metal, Alek's eyes widened as he realized her plan. "Dylan! I'm not going-" Deryn gripped his hand, kicked the cover of the hole out of the way, and stuffed Alek down. His protests echoed feebly against the damp walls of the underground, and Deryn blatantly ignored them, stepping down onto the ladder and pulling the cover over the both of them-just in time, too, as the Clankers rounded the corner.

Holding their breaths, the middy and the prince clambered down into the sewer. Deryn heard a splash below, followed by a disgusted groan from Alek, before she reached the bottom herself and found her legs plunged, up to the ankles, in, well, clart, most likely. Liquid-y clart, but it was all the same in the end, wasn't it?

Deryn scrunched her face up against the horrid smell, and gasped out, "Come on, then, let's get moving."

She started forward, and behind her, she could hear Alek agreeing. "The sooner we get out of here the better."

On they walked, sloshing through the disgusting sewer water of Japan (to be fair, it would be disgusting anywhere) and trying-and failing- to ignore the wafting smell and slightly squishy feel of the liquid beneath them (and, in Deryn's case, weighing down and soaking her dress).

As the tunnel was dark, Deryn swallowed her pride and kept one hand trailing along the slimy wall of their refuge, leading the way and letting Alek hold onto the back of her jacket, so they didn't get separated from the other.

It was safe enough to talk, but neither particularly wanted to, finding it far more necessary to expend effort in the field of holding one's breath and imaging oneself far away from here.

At last, Deryn looked up to see a small circle in the ceiling, ringed by light and adorned with a ladder to climb up and access it. "There's our way out," she whispered, keeping her voice low even though she knew that they must be long gone from the Clankers by now.

Steadily, she climbed the ladder, then shoved up against the cover with her shoulder, sending it almost flying out of its position (it was a lot lighter than the sewer cover on the street.) Poking her head up out of the hole, Deryn blinked her eyes against the hot steam that seemed to cover the street they'd come out on. Strange-it hadn't seemed like it would turn foggy right quick, but maybe Japanese weather was just like that.

Hauling herself out of the sewer, she helped Alek out onto the-hold on. The floor was tile. Eyes widening, Deryn got a good glimpse of her surroundings for the first time, turning her head and-

-finding herself face to face with numerous, unclothed, Japanese woman.

Deryn gulped audibly as she realized she must have led the two of them into one of the public, hot spring baths. After a second, it _also_ hit her that a) Alek had just seen a whole bunch of naked women (though she would think he had the decency to turn away) and b) all of said women thought that two boys just crawled out of a hole in the floor-which was really pretty much the truth, if you ignored the fact that Deryn herself was a girl.

Unfortunately,_ because_ she was a girl, Deryn didn't think to avert her eyes as fast as Alek (when he popped up as she surveyed their surroundings, she heard a small gasp and the rustling of cloth signifying he'd turned away) and though she was wearing a dress, she was also covered in clart, and looked like a boy despite her current clothes.

After a moment, or two, the screaming started.

"_Hentai_!"

"_Henshitsu_!"

"_Hentai shonen_!"

It didn't take a genius Scotsman to figure out that, despite the difference in language, the women were yelling something along the lines of 'Pervert! Perverts! Pervert boys!' Yes, that was quite likely.

Without a second thought, Deryn grabbed Alek (she seemed to be doing that quite a lot in Japan) and whisked the both of them out of the door and onto the street.

Stumbling down the streets of Tokyo in her dress and his suit, they listened in relief as the shrieks died down behind them, and, tired and weary, they made their way back to the ship.

Upon reaching the _Leviathan_, Deryn and Alek were halted by a solemn Newkirk as they tried to get onboard. "I'm sorry, ma'am and sir, but the tours are closed," Newkirk said, taking his duty very seriously, as the special tours of the giant whale they had offered earlier in the day were, indeed, closed, and a watchman was needed on guard.

Rolling her eyes, Deryn hissed, "Newkirk, you bum-rag, it's me!" Startled, the male middy took a closer look, then jumped.

"Sharp? And-the Clanker? What are you doing smelling like clart, and _why_ are you in a dress?"

Muttering, "I'll talk about that later," Deryn sighed impatiently and tapped her foot, waiting for Newkirk to get the hint.

He did. Newkirk began to lead them through the ship (and straight to the showers) when they bumped into the lady boffin and the count.

The pair of cleverboots did a double-take when they saw Deryn and Alek, who both reddened a bit in shame. Dr. Barlow and Volger stared, astonished, then wrinkled their noses. "What precisely is that smell?" Dr. Barlow asked, curious beyond better judgment, but seemingly unconcerned with the clothes Deryn was wearing.

Volger, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow and said, "I think we'd rather not know. Carry on."

Newkirk nodded, and continued leading Deryn and Alek down to the showers.

As they walked through the ship, their escapade finally over, Deryn couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the absurdity of their little Japanese jaunt.

...

There you have it!

Anyways, I've got some bad news and good news. The bad news is that I'm ending _Today_ on chapter 30. The good news is that I'm starting a new drabble series, in which there are no limitations! I feel like it's a bit too late to go and change _Today_, but the friendship theme, though fun, has been quite a bit limiting. With the start of this new series, I'm going to explore about every possible aspect of the _Leviathan_ world that I can. ) How does that sound? ^^

Time for reviews!

Pony: Aw, that stinks that you go to different schools! Or rather...that may actually be a good thing. ^^ (I can't stand the thought of my brother being in school with me, but he's moving up to the high school next year so...*shudders*)

Anyways, thanks! I'm glad you liked it!

User With No Name: Haha, yep! Kiki's Delivery Service! I was just curious to see the Miyazaki fans out there. ;)

HopelessRomantic: Yep, it's Kiki! And I know, I love that movie too. ;) But pssh, I grew up on all _three_ movies you named-I grew up with both Disney and Miyazaki, so, you know...diverse childhood! And yes, gotta love Miyazaki animals. ;) (Teto, anyone?) As for watching the original movies with subtitles...harrumph. *grumbles* You know what? Just, whatever! The English dubs are still very good, you know that? xP

As for Dr. Barlow's family...*whistles surreptitiously* Ho-hum. Well, if I'm writing a new drabble series, I've already had quite a few ideas for some chapters. Possibly one of which may feature her real-life family. ;)

Thanks!

See you all in chapter twenty-nine!


	29. Shakespeare and Shiners

Second-to-last chapter here! But remember, superawesomeanythinggoes drabble series once this is wrapped up! Seriously, I've already got thirty chapter ideas at this point in time. Likely more. ^^ All the ideas are written down-they just need to be written out! But, you know, not yet! First, I need to finish _Today_ (which is still pretty sad for me, having to end this. But I'm really excited for this new series, and I really think you all will like it!)

Here we go! I was trying to think of a chapter idea, and then I started thinking of quotes, and then I started thinking of Shakespeare, and this was the first quote of his that came into my mind, so, yeah. Have fun!

Shakespeare and Shiners

"_Et tu, Brute. Then fall, Caesar."_

_~William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar_

"I still don't get what's so great about Shakespeare."

Sighing, Alek turned his attention from the book of plays in his hand to his belligerent friend. Instead of answering in words, he gave Dylan a look that screamed 'Really? in a particularly sarcastic manner, of course.

"Sorry, Alek, but I think this stuff is clart! The man can't even write in plain English!" Dylan complained, glancing down at the object in Alek's hands.

Alek replied, "You do know that most of our modern English was formed thanks to him, right? If he weren't around, we'd probably all still be talking like 'Ye olde gurr thurr wen' a wass thataway!'"

Dylan raised an eyebrow. "I honestly don't think anyone, even in the medieval days, spoke such horrible English."

The Austrian shrugged. "How are we supposed to know?"

"'Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow, 'Sorrow not, sage! It beseems us better friends to avenge than fruitlessly mourn them. Each of us all must his end abide in the ways of the world; so win who may glory ere death! When his days are told, that is the warrior's worthiest doom.'' _That_ is how people of old English spoke," Dylan quoted without skipping a beat.

"You…did you just quote literature?" Alek asked, stunned.

"Aye, that I did!" Dylan puffed his chest out proudly.

"But-but-how-I-" Alek spluttered.

Dylan winked at him, asking, "But what?" His confident expression was the epitome of arrogance.

Alek said, "But, I didn't know you could even _read_!"

Dylan's face fell immediately, and he gave Alek a look very similar to this: -_-. At Dylan's expression, Alek couldn't help chortling, and Dylan's eyes continued to narrow.

…

"Yowch, what happened there?" Newkirk asked the Austrian prince.

Sighing, Alek gently fingered the growing bruise on his left eye. "I angered Dylan."

Newkirk winced sympathetically. "Ah. Best not to do that."

"I _know_," Alek replied in exasperation.

Newkirk held up his hands in defense. "I'm just saying!" He walked off, muttering something about how everyone was being grumpy today.

Alek stood in the hallway, patting the shiner with great care. Still, he couldn't help but feel a small amount of pride. His first black eye; his father would have been proud, he was almost sure of it!

His mother, not so much.

…

Aaaand…that was short. Mostly because I'm working super-duper hard on the last chapter, which is going to be massively long! Oh yes. I'm dead serious. Though it'll be multiple drabbles in one. 'Cause I'm cool like that. xP (I intend to get it posted later today, before I leave on the trip! Must get back to writing! *runs off*)

Pony: Yep, there's definitely going to be lots more! Closing Today's going to open up lots of windows. ;) And I'm glad you liked the chapter! Idea credit goes to purplerose34. ;)

HopelessRomantic: Yep, new series! *fistpumps with you* And the English dubs are great. ;) And yep, Dr. Barlow's family! I'll need to do some research on her, of course, but I hope you'll like it, when someday that drabble comes out. ^^ Thanks!

See you all in the next chapter!


	30. The End of the Beginning

And here's the last chapter of _Today_! I'm quite sad to let this go, but I'm also super excited to get to work on the next drabble series! Don't expect it to come out for a while, though, as my family is leaving in a couple of hours to go on vacation for two weeks. (Yay, Disneyworld! And Star Wars Weekend!)

Okay, well, this is going back to the song-shuffle-thingie, but I didn't follow the rules this time. I wrote on past the ending of the song (really just hit replay) and I skipped past songs I couldn't think of any story ideas for. Anyways, some of these are nice and long, and I'll be skipping the commentary that I did for the last one, mainly because I feel like that would kind of ruin the chapter, you know?

Anyways, here's the last chapter of _Today_! I hope you enjoy!

The End of the Beginning

_1. Little April Shower (The Music of Disney, Bambi)_

Laughing, Deryn huddled with Alek beneath the bushes as shelter as rain continued to pound them. "Well, at least it's a little drier under here," she said with a small grin.

Alek let out a cough, and a sneeze. Wiping his nose, he shivered in the cold. "No it's not," he argued. "I'm as wet and uncomfortable as I was before."

"Oh come on," Deryn said, "you're just being a whiner."

"If I catch pneumonia-"

"Which you won't."

"Again, if I catch pneumonia-"

"Yes, yes, I'll be entirely at fault for not magically predicting the weather."

"…I _will_ punch you," Alek threatened.

Deryn scoffed, "Aye, and I'll do so back. Come on-ack!" She spat out water has a huge drop hit her face, and grimaced as the wind began to whip harder through the trees and underbrush. "It's getting harder."

"I can see that."

A booming roll of thunder caused them both to jump, and as the storm picked up, the temperature dropped. Soon, Deryn was shivering as much as Alek had been before, and the Austrian prince was even worse for wear. "You get used to this stuff in Britain," Deryn mumbled. "I know down in London they get rain constantly, and throughout the whole isle weather sure isn't fair skies and sunshine."

Alek glared at her. "Are you trying to make me feel better? Because it's not working. Achoo!"

"Gezundheit." Alek lifted an eyebrow, and Deryn shrugged. "That's the word, isn't it?"

Before the Austrian could answer, another sneeze racked his frame. Deryn, without really thinking, grabbed him and pulled him towards her, wrapping her arms around his chest and doing her very best to warm him up with the only heat source she had. "This help?" she asked softly, and he nodded, snuggling a bit closer. Deryn tried to ignore it, and focused solely on helping Alek out.

Thunder crashed and lightning flashed above the two, and before long, to both of their surprise, the friends had fallen asleep.

…Drip. Drop. Drip. Drip. Drip. Dripdrop. Stirring, Deryn blinked her eyes open to blue skies and damp bushes. She glanced down at Alek, who sleeping with his head in her lap, and she blushed red to the roots of her hair. Gently, she pushed him off of her and, after making sure her face was back to normal, shook him awake. "Storm's over," she said in greeting as Alek blearily opened his eyes.

He asked, "Did we fall asleep?"

Deryn deigned this question with the response it deserved: an eyeroll.

"That was some storm, huh?" he said, changing the subject.

Smiling, Deryn's eyes trained on a rainbow in the distance, and she smirked as a thought occurred to her. "Not at all," she told Alek. "It was just a little April shower, I believe."

_2. Wonderful (Wicked)_

"Come now, Alek, just sign the paper. You'll be known as a hero to your country, the Clanker amidst Darwinists! A spy like no other!" Emperor Franz Joseph pressed the paper further, practically shoving it in Alek's face.

Still, the Austrian hesitated. "This whole time, I've been chased by Clankers. Why should I sign this?"

Sighing, Joseph leaned back in his chair. "You know, I never wanted this position. It was thrown upon me, but I've come to realize its value." Alek tilted his head, signaling Joseph to go on. "They call me wonderful, you know. I'm the leader. Everyone hangs on my words, and believe everything I say. Because of course I always tell the truth. I do my best as a liberator to the peoples of Austria-Hungary. Alek, please, I want you to be my heir."

"But why me? I was friends with a Darwinist, you know that as well as I do," Alek interrogated.

Fiddling with his hands, Joseph gave a wolfish smile. "Simple, dear Alek. The rehabilitated are the most celebrated. People will look to you even more, knowing you've 'been' a Darwinist, and still chose to return to the Clankers, despite even being, dare I say it, 'close', with one of them. And a commoner at that."

Alek stiffened. "Just because Dylan's a commoner doesn't mean-"

Joseph interrupted him, flapping a hand. "Oh thank heavens, your friend's a boy. I was afraid we might have another scandal on our hands. Like the one with your parents."

The boy's eyes narrowed. "My parents loved each other," he said coldly.

"So it may be, but your father made a mistake."

"He made no mistake."

"Of course he did. Sophie may have been a sweet girl, but she was a _commoner_. Become my heir and we can win this war. People will rally to your cause, I'll find you some brainless woman for you to breed well with, and we can cement our power. How does this sound to you?"

Alek's face was becoming mottled red with rage. "Some brainless-how dare you! You expect me to marry for the sole purposes of _breeding_, and not of love? You expect me to just waltz in and steal some girl's life because you wish it so?"

"Naturally. Females are insignificant."

"Since my time away from home, I've come to know quite a few 'insignificant females' who could kill you with only one second allotted."

"You're being unreasonable, Alek. United, we can be wonderful!"

Alek's eyes widened as the real reason behind Joseph's offer came to light in his mind. "I'm a threat, aren't I?" he asked softly, and Joseph gripped the arms of his chair hard, his knuckles turning white. "If I'm not allied with you, I'm against you." Alek kept his tone level and quiet. "And if the country is torn in two, they will likely rally more to my cause, and support my right as heir, and even emperor, over yours." Joseph blanched. Alek gave him the smile of a shark. "Well played, Grandfather. Well played. But not quite well enough." Glancing upwards, towards the window behind Joseph, he winked. "Don't you agree, Dylan?"

"Oh, barking spiders!" the middy exclaimed, poking his head inside the room. His arms and legs clung fiercely to the brick wall outside the room, and he gave Joseph a jaunty grin as the emperor stood up abruptly and whirled around.

"What-how-?" he spluttered, and Dylan rolled his eyes.

"Bit of an old coot, isn't he? Can I give him an ole one-two, toss him a couple a' shiners, the like, for his altogether annoyingness? I think he quite deserves it, don't you?" Dylan gave Alek a pleading look.

Alek huffed in laughter. "How is it that the guards didn't see you hanging outside the window?"

Stepping inside the room, Dylan shrugged. "No barking idea. Bunch of daft sods on guard, at least for now. Always knew dayshifts were phonies. It's the night guards that notice little details like strangers mid-high on walls outside their emperor's office."

"Ah, yes," Alek said sarcastically, nodding as if that cleared everything up. "Now, what do you suggest we do now?"

Dylan chortled. "Do? I say we grab His Hiney's paper thingie, fly out of here, start a revolution, and instate you as the officially ruler of Austria-Hungary, as approved by all Darwinist nations. Sound good?"

"I think so," Alek responded, and the two followed Dylan's plan exactly.

Emperor Franz Joseph could only stare in shock at the open door.

_3. Witch Doctor (Alvin and the Chipmunks) _

A/N: Don't judge me! xP

"What…are those?" Alek was, as could only be expected, incredibly confused.

"I…have no barking clue," Deryn replied, as much at a loss as he was. "Um, Dr. Barlow?"

"Yes?" Turning, the doctor faced the two befuddled young people. "Any questions?"

"Aye," Deryn said. "What purpose could singing chipmunks possible serve?" She looked away from Dr. Barlow and through the glass containment wall. Inside the glass was a stage, on which loud music blared and three tiny chipmunks sang a song about a 'witch doctor'.

"You can't help but look at them, correct?" Dr. Barlow questioned.

Deryn nodded. "True."

"They serve as a brilliant distraction. I doubt there's anyone that wouldn't stop and turn to look at three singing chipmunks that appear seemingly randomly."

"But," Alek began, "how is this all that effective in the war effort?"

Dr. Barlow smirked. "They're also rabid."

Alek and Deryn blanched. "Ah," they murmured, backing away slowly from the glass.

_4. Sing (Glee Cast)_

Dylan stood at Alek's side as he waited reluctantly outside the balcony. "You can do it," Dylan encouraged. "Go on."

Nervous, Alek still lingered back. "What if they don't like what I have to say? What if I mess up?"

"Don't be daft, Alek, you'll do brilliantly." Dylan gave him an encouraging grin.

Alek took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. "You really think so?"

"They'll accept you as emperor, Alek. I promise. And if they don't, I'll slide down one of those big banners _celebrating your return_ and knock the daylights out of all those in the crowd. Sound fair?" Dylan kept a straight, solemn face as he made his promise.

"Heh." Alek let out a huff of laughter at Dylan's absurd promise, starting to feel better with his friend's prompting. "Thanks for always being there. For being my friend."

Dylan rolled his eyes. "And thanks for being my barking famous ruler-of-a-country friend. Useful chaps, you know." He stuck his tongue out in mockery, and Alek stifled a laugh.

Steeling himself, he took a pace towards the balcony. Dylan put his hand on Alek's shoulder in encouragement. "Sing it out to the world, Alek. Tell them all that peace is just around the corner."

_5. Lucky Star (Madonna)_

Deryn slowly strapped the gun around herself, pulling the straps on tight and securing the holster to her body. Shouldering her jacket and checking to make sure her protective vest, this time against bullets, was in place, she took a deep breath in anticipation.

Her first battle. She couldn't really say she was excited.

Taking a step in the bulky gear was a bit daunting at first, but she began to walk around the tent and experiment, adjusting to the weight and adjusting her movement and strength exerted in turn. Fingering the gun strapped across her back, she jolted to attention as the flap to her tent was flung back, relaxing and letting the tension flow out of her as she realized it was Alek.

He looked almost sick to his stomach as he took in Deryn with her uniform on. His eyes pleading, he asked, "Must you?" Two simple words that conveyed his entire meaning.

Deryn winced, and began to check over her equipment again, as an excuse not to look him in the eyes. "Aye," she said simply, pulling a strap tighter.

Alek stepped towards her. "Please, Dylan, you don't have to. You're the youngest onboard the ship, I'm sure the captain would spare you, especially if he knew you weren't even sixteen yet."

Shooting Alek a dirty look, Deryn griped, "Hey, I told you that in confidence!"

"I haven't told anyone," Alek promised, "but I just might. You're too young to be out on the field!"

"What about Newkirk? He's only a year or so older?" Deryn's eyes bore into him as she focused her attention solely on him and away from her equipment.

Alek looked helpless under her gaze. He squirmed as he tried to answer question. "Yes, but, he's still older! He's sixteen! You're not!"

"Like a couple of bloody months make that much of a difference," Deryn grumbled.

Alek grabbed her shoulders, one hand on each, and forced her to look him dead on. She'd been trying to turn away the moment he touched her. "Do you _want_ to get killed?" Alek exclaimed. "Do you _want_ to go out there and kill others?"

Now it was Deryn's turn to squirm. "No," she admitted, "but it's for England. It's my duty, what I knew I was signing up to do when I asked to join the air force. It's as simple as that."

"Run away," he pleaded.

"That's treason," Deryn said, disgusted.

"But it means you'll be alive! It means you'll be safe! Please, Dylan, I-" Alek broke off. "Listen, you-you're my best friend, Dylan. I've already lost my parents. I don't want to lose you too." To Deryn's surprise, she noticed Alek's eyes glistened with tears. "Please," he murmured again.

Deryn looked away. "I…can't."

Alek's face hardened. "Then promise me you won't get yourself killed. Do you understand?" Deryn stayed silent. His voice got more forceful. "Do you understand?"

Sighing, she faced him, then nodded. She gave him a determined salute. "I promise," she said, and he nodded.

"Good. Now don't you dare break this promise." Alek stepped aside as Deryn pushed past him and out of the tent, onto the battlefield.

As she glanced behind her one last time, she noticed a bright star shining in the sky, almost directly above where Alek was watching her. She gave a small smile. Maybe the both of them were her lucky stars. She'd need all the luck she could get tonight.

_6. Poor Unfortunate Souls (The Little Mermaid)_

"Can you help him?" Alek demanded, holding Dylan's wounded body out to the doctor. "Please."

The doctor shrugged. "I'm busy enough as it is. Why should this boy be any different?"

"I'll pay you," Alek said, his face deadly serious.

The doctor seemed to contemplate the offer. "This is serious now. It's happened once or twice that someone couldn't pay the price." He grinned a bit wickedly. "Those poor, unfortunate souls."

Alek gulped, wishing that he and Dylan hadn't gotten so separated from the rest of the army. He'd been lucky to chance upon the doctor of this remote village, but the man was psychotic! "I can pay," Alek said, determined to get his friend fixed up and feeling better than ever. "What's your price?"

"Fifteen thousand francs," the doctor said coolly, and Alek's jaw dropped.

Quickly, Alek closed his mouth. "Very well then," he said, remembering the gold bars back at the hideout in Switzerland, and then his bank account. "I can have the money deposited to your bank account as you see fit."

Nodding in satisfaction, the doctor beckoned Alek and his friend inside, and motioned for Alek to lay Dylan upon the table. "Now leave me to my work," he commanded.

…

Finally, several hours later, the doctor emerged from the building. He'd forced Alek to stand outside, and now, he announced the news. "Your friend will live." Alek was overjoyed, though he noticed a strange gleam in the doctor's eyes. "What was your friend's name, again?"

Alek replied, "His name is Dylan."

"Ah," the doctor said, then led Alek to his car. "Let's go get the money deposited, shall we?" Alek chanced a glance back at the house. "Your friend will be quite fine. Now hop in."

As they rode off, Alek turned to the doctor. "Thank you," he said solemnly. "Dylan might have died if not for you."

The doctor brushed it off, not used to compliments. Overall, he wasn't a people person. There was a reason he chose to live in a house by the woods, where he chose to treat any wounded animals he could find. He simply had to make sure to charge _people_, to fund his own work. Though he was as picky as he seemed when it came to getting paid. Glancing at his customer, and gave Alek a sly grin. "I look forward to your payment," he began, "but if you don't pay me in money, I'll be forced to share a juicy little tidbit to all who care to hear."

Alek looked at him, confused. "What?" he asked.

The doctor smiled to himself. "You wouldn't understand," he said thinking of the 'boy' he'd just treated. For the sake of the 'boy', the doctor hoped Alek could pay. Elsewise, his friend might have a bit of an unfortunate reveal in his near future.

_7. Candles (The Warblers, Glee)_

Deryn glanced around her, unable to see a thing in the darkness. Sitting on her bed, she wondered why the captain had ordered a black out of the ship, but trusted that he knew what he was doing. Likely, an enemy ship was passing close by, and Captain Hobbes wanted to avoid confrontation.

Shivering, she moved her head, wishing she could see. It was strange, not having eyesight. So this was what it must be like for blind people. As a thought hit her, she stood up, feeling her way recklessly towards her door and out into the hallways of the ship.

Keeping one hand trailing along the wall, Deryn made her through a route she practically knew by heart. She reached the door she wanted and knocked softly upon it. She heard a few thuds, then finally the door opened. "Who's there?" Alek asked.

Deryn instinctively put up her hand to wave in greeting, and ended up hitting him in the face. "Ow!" Alek exclaimed, and Deryn immediately apologized.

"Sorry," she said, reaching out to feel his face herself. She ran her hands over his nose. "Seems like nothing's broken," she reported, and pulled back.

"Dylan?" Alek asked.

"Aye," she said, nodding before she could remember he couldn't see it. "Thought you'd be longing for company." She gave him a jaunty wink, again forgetting he couldn't see.

She stiffened as she felt his hand clasp around hers. "I'm going to lead you to a chair, okay?" he said, doing just that.

Once they were both safely seated, Alek murmured, "Thank you."

"For what?" Deryn asked, confused.

"For coming. You're right, I was getting a bit worried."

Deryn grinned. "It's not a problem," she told him. "I figured being trapped in pure darkness might make you a bit uncomfortable."

Alek shook his head, saying, "No, not so much. Nightwalking in a Stormwalker tends to harden you against the darkness. Mainly, though, I'll admit I was becoming a bit lonely."

Remembering something, Deryn snapped her fingers at her daftness and reached into her pocket. Hitting a switch, soft, green light suddenly illuminated the room. "Forgot I had that," she said, and Alek huffed.

"Only you," he said, and she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Aye, maybe. But I bet you would've done the same."

Alek shook his head in disbelief, then asked her what it was she was holding. Deryn answered, "It's a glowworm candle, or that's what we call it. It's basically just a thin, tiny lantern with a latch that goes all the way around to block the light if you want to. When I hit the switch, it moved them back and opened the light up."

Alek raised his eyebrows. "Nifty little invention…for a Darwinist." Deryn made a face at him, and he laughed. "How long do you think this blackout will last?" Right at his question, the lights popped back on, and Deryn chuckled.

"Oh, about, zero point one seconds. Give or take a few millis." They both laughed for a few minutes, before Deryn slowly got up. "Well, now that that's passed, I better get going."

"Of course," Alek said, opening the door for his friend.

She almost opened her mouth to give him an anti-sexist comment, before remembering that he still didn't know she was a girl. She smiled at him. "Thanks," she said warmly, and walked out.

"No, thank you," Alek murmured, grinning as she waved at him while she headed off to her room.

Deryn smiled to herself. What do you know? Dropping by his room unannounced had actually helped him. She knew it had helped her. Whistling a bit, she covered the glowworm candle and placed it back in her pocket.

_8. Istanbul (They Might Be Giants)_

"Been a long time gone, hasn't it, since Constantinople?" Dylan said, musing.

Alek smirked. "No, not really."

"True," Dylan said. "Think we can go back some day?"

Alek shook his head. "You can't go back to Constantinople," he reminded Dylan.

His friend gave him a funny look. "Of course I can! It's still there, last time I checked."

"No it's not," Alek replied.

Glaring, Dylan exclaimed, "Well, why not?"

"'Constantinople's been a long time gone," Alek said.

"Well, why's that?" Dylan demanded, his face giving away his unsure feelings over the question.

Alek said, "It's nobody's business but the Turks, really, why Constantinople's gone."

Dylan threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "What's the deal, Alek, we were there just a year ago? Did the city magically disappear?"

Alek gave Dylan a sly smile. "Not at all. The city's still there. But you can't go back to Constantinople. Simply put, the reason is that it's Istanbul, not Constantinople."

Dylan's eyes narrowed. "Haha, funny," he said sarcastically, sticking his tongue out.

Alek just sat back in his chair, silently gloating.

_9. Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B major, BWV 1051: I. Allegro (Slovak Chamber Ochestra)_

Deryn wasn't too comfortable at the moment. Hanging back at the edge of the ballroom, she leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and watched as a large number of rich people danced and swayed across the ballroom floor.

Numerous times already she'd been asked to dance, but as they were all girls (she was still Dylan to all) she'd felt a bit awkward and had tried to turn them down. That hadn't worked so well, so now she was claiming she needed a break from all the dancing she'd been doing.

Her eyes focused on one dancer in particular, and she waved him over, seeing he was partnerless at the moment. Alek came over gladly. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

Deryn shrugged. "Not particularly," she said, answering honestly.

Alek sighed. "I was afraid so. It's strange if you're not used to it, isn't it?"

"Aye, quite," Deryn replied, watching the dancers move with grace. "I only know a squick of the steps I'm supposed to, and still all these girls keep asking me to dance!"

"It's only because you're so handsome," Alek said with a wink, prodding his friend's side.

She sighed. "Aye, right, so pure dead handsome." Thinking to herself, she added, _But not as a girl. _"Listen, Alek, can I leave?" she requested.

Alek looked a bit forlorn, then gave up at her pleading look. "Oh, I suppose so. Let me walk with you, at least."

As the two friends left, Deryn let out a sigh of relief. "I can't say I'm too big a fan of ballroom dances," she said.

"I noticed _that_," Alek responded dryly, and Deryn laughed.

"Okay, fine, I guess that was pretty obvious."

"So you don't dance at all?"

Deryn stopped and made a horrified face at him. "Of course I dance! But not this silly ballroom stuff. I can do a proper Scottish jig anytime, with the right band and reel. Oh, aye, you wouldn't outdance me there! Especially not with your wee height, you'd be shorter than all the girls!"

Alek rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Fine, then, show me this 'jig' of yours."

Deryn shook her head. "Some other time, maybe, all right? We can head up to Scotland, I'll get a proper band together, and _then_ I'll show you."

Alek grinned at her. "I look forward to it."

She grinned back. "So do I."

_10. Don't You Forget About Me (Simple Minds)_

Alek stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. Dylan didn't share the same hesitations. Dylan stared him in the eye, then threw himself upon Alek in a big hug. Surprised, Alek froze for a moment, then returned the gesture, patting Dylan's back a bit.

Satisfied, they both pulled back from each other. To Alek's surprise, he noticed Dylan's eyes seemed a bit wet. To his greater surprise, Alek noted the same of his own. Dylan gave him a wavering smile. "You'll be a great emperor," he said, his voice shaky, but his eyes saying he meant every word.

Alek smiled back. "And you'll be a great airman."

Dylan snorted. "What are you talking about, bum-rag? I already am!"

The Austrian rolled his eyes, and Dylan gave him a goofy grin. With a jolt, Alek realized just how much he'd miss having Dylan by his side. "Are you sure you won't reconsider?"

Dylan shook his head, eyes sad but determined. "I'm dead serious, Alek."

"So am I!" Alek protested, and Dylan's face wavered, then set again.

"I'm going back to England. I've got a future, Alek, you can't deny." Off to the side, he muttered something else Alek couldn't quite catch, then continued, "And you've got a bloody important future too. Plus, why would the Austrians want a barking Darwinist by their emperor's side?"

"Because he's an amazing person," Alek said without thinking, then flushed as he realized the magnitude of the compliment.

Dylan, to Alek's shock, blushed red, then grinned. "Aye, that I am," he said cheekily, and Alek chortled. "Listen. I can come visit, right?"

Staring, Alek answered, "Of course! Please do! Whenever you want, we'll be ready to take you in! I can arrange servants, and the best guest room, and-"

"Barking spiders, Alek, no need to do all that! I just wanted to know I could visit." Dylan broke off and stared at his feet, unsure of what to do next.

Alek took the initiative, and pulled the middy into another hug.

When they broke off, Dylan was grinning a bit like a loon, and slowly the middy began to back away, up the ramp to the _Leviathan_. He waved at Alek then, remembering something, called out, "And don't you dare forget about me!"

Shading his eyes, Alek watched Dylan head into the giant airship, calling back, "Not in a million years!"

…

*sniffs* It's over. Well, there you go! I hope you enjoyed, and I did make the last drabble a parting on purpose. But like the chapter title says, this is really the end of the beginning. I plan to bombard this section with many more fics in the future. ;)

Now time for anonymous reviews! I'll be adding more when I get back, so I can reply to the ones on this chapter if I have any, since I don't have another chapter to put replies in. ^^

Pony: Yep, it's long! I'm glad you were looking forward to the length (4,000 plus words!) and that you liked the last chapter and its last line! And haha, yeah, Newkirk already knows not to anger Deryn, but silly Alek didn't. Thanks!

**A huge thanks to all who have faved and/or alerted this story, and even bigger thanks to all you wonderful reviewers! Thanks for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed reading this series as much as I've enjoyed writing it! See you in the next series! ;D**


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